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Trends of all sorts lend themselves to understanding teams and particular situations. Sometimes these angles overlap, causing one to hesitate in making a decision on a particular game. Tonight in major league baseball a number of games offer baseball bettors interesting decisions to be made. (Check out Free Foxsheet on Orioles and Cubs contest.) Baltimore clipped the Cubs last night 7-5, ending 14-game home winning streak for the North Siders. Chicago still owns outstanding 32-9 record at Wrigley Field and is 17-2 against the money line after four or more consecutive home games this season. Nonetheless, it would be foolish to ignore the Orioles 32-18 record playing night games. Sportsbook.com has the Cubs as -175 home favorites and starter Brian Burres and the O’s are 5-0 when -151 to -200 underdogs. San Francisco caught Cleveland 3-2 in Game 1 of interleague series and goes for two in a row in the city that has the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame. Barry Zito (2-11, 6.32, 1.932 WHIP) gets the starting nod for the Giants, with San Fran just 7-19 when the left-hander starts. Counting on Cleveland to rebound has been a bettor’s demise, with 4-14 record after a loss by two runs or less this season. At least the Indians are 8-3 at home against lefty’s in interleague play, since the Giants are 1-10 when Zito starts in Game 2 of series. Toronto crushed Cincinnati 14-1 last evening, pounding out 22 hits and has put together back-to-back double digit hit games for just the fourth time since May 24. The Blue Jays will try to give similar support to Roy Halladay (8-6, 2.90, 1.037 WHIP) to grab a stranglehold of this series. Halladay and Toronto are 80-30 against the money line vs. teams outscored by a half a run or more a game on the season in his career and the Reds have offered little resistance with 4-24 record in road games revenging a loss where opponent scored 12 or more runs. Don’t give up on Cincy just yet, as they are 8-3 vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15. Cincinnati is a +155 underdog and Aaron Harang (3-10, 4.33, 1.340 WHIP) his teammates are 14-3 as road dogs when he is starter. Arizona and Boston will fight to see who can win the series in a “rocking chair” special, with a pair of elder statesmen on the mound. 44-year old Randy Johnson (4-5, 5.09, 1.421 WHIP) will straddle the slap for the D-Backs while 41-year old youngster Tim Wakefield (4-5, 4.17, 1.316 WHIP) goes for the Red Sox. Boston scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to slither away from the Snakes 5-4 and is 16-1 in home games vs. an NL team with a team batting average of .255 or worse. Arizona will try hitting their way to victory as they have often done in the past with 21-6 record with a struggling bullpen whose ERA is over 7.00 the last five games.
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