The Bum's Sunday's MLB Best Bets !

[StarDust Bum]

MLB Betting: White Sox end series at Arizona Diamondbacks

A pair of right-handers enjoying surprisingly good seasons finish off the series between the Chicago White Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks. Sunday's first pitch in Phoenix is set for 1:10 p.m. (PT) with Philip Humber taking his turn in Chicago's rotation against Arizona rookie Josh Collmenter.

Arizona kept a perfect interleague mark this season intact with a 4-1 win Friday night in the series opener. Former White Sox prospect Daniel Hudson went the distance for the D-Backs who were 130 chalk and remain the only unbeaten NL club when it comes to matchups against AL squads.

The final score never got close to the 9½-run total, the third consecutive 'under' for both clubs.

It's just the third time the ChiSox and Snakes have gone head-to-head, with each taking two of three on their home diamond in 2005 and 2003 respectively. Saturday's contest was still in progress with Chicago on a -115 line.

The Diamondbacks went into that contest just a half-game behind the Giants in the NL West standings. The bats have been the driving force for the club all year, swatting an NL-best 82 homers and third in the league in scoring through Friday (4.65 RPG).

Friday's defeat was the third straight on this road trip for the White Sox who are third in the AL Central. Offense has been an issue all season and has been just about nonexistent on this trip with the club scoring just two runs in the first three games.

Humber (7-5, 2.95) takes the mound on a 3-game personal win streak and the White Sox having won his last four outings. Chicago is 4-2 (+3.95 units) when he starts on the road, 3-0 his last three assignments away from the Windy City.

Just his 15th career start, it will be Humber's first interleague mound appearance as well as the first time ever to face the Diamondbacks.

This will also be Collmenter's first interleague appearance. A 15th-round pick by the D-Backs four years ago, Collmenter (5-2, 1.86) started the campaign at Triple-A Reno before getting called up in mid-April when Aaron Heilman went on the disabled list.

His first seven appearances came out of the Arizona 'pen before making his MLB starting debut on May 14, and he's yet to allow a home run at Chase Field in 25 1/3 innings.

Collmenter is coming off a poor effort this past Tuesday against San Francisco. Working just five innings while burning through nearly 100 pitches, the Giants touched him up for five runs and eight hits in a 6-5 loss as a small home favorite (-115).

Real hot and windy outside but cool and no wind inside Chase Field is the Phoenix forecast for Sunday. Crew chief Joe West will work the plate with a 9-5-1 'over' mark on the season, 7-4 'over' with totals of 8½ or less.

Arizona wraps up a 6-game homestand with this game, taking to the road next week with stops at Kansas City and Detroit after an off day on Monday. The White Sox head home and will host their crosstown rivals from Chicago's North Side beginning Monday.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB Odds: NY Yankees close series at Chicago Cubs

The New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs finish their historic series Sunday night in the Windy City.

ESPN will have the first salvo from Wrigley Field at 5:05 p.m. (PT). The Yankees save their best for last with ace CC Sabathia (8-4, 3.28 ERA) pitching against Randy Wells (1-1, 5.63 ERA).

These iconic franchises are at the opposite ends of the spectrum with New York winning the World Series a record 27 times and the Cubs coming up short since 1908.

This is just the third series between the teams since the 1938 World Series. New York swept a 3-game set in the Bronx in 2005, while Chicago took two of three at Wrigley in 2003.

Chicago won this series opener (3-1) behind pitcher Doug Davis. It was an old school, Friday afternoon affair. Saturday’s Game 2 is still pending with A.J. Burnett and New York around a 140 favorite over Ryan Dempster and company.

New York (39-29) is still 6-2 in its last eight road games, 16-12 away on the year (+3.4 units). The ‘under’ is 5-0 in its last five road games.

Sabathia is coming off a couple of home outings. He allowed four runs over seven innings to Texas last Tuesday, working with a big lead in a 12-4 win. He surrendered six runs over 6 2/3 innings to Boston in his prior appearance (8-3 defeat).

New York is 0-3 when Sabathia has pitched against Boston this year and 10-2 against everyone else.

The 30-year-old rotund lefty has been magnificent on the road (5-2, 2.28 ERA). That includes going 4-0 with a 1.47 ERA in his last four away.

Sabathia is 1-2 with a 5.76 ERA lifetime against the Cubs. Three of the four starts were while pitching for NL Milwaukee in 2008. He got the loss in his only Wrigley appearance, allowing four runs over seven innings that year.

The Cubs (29-40) look like a team whose World Series futility will extend at least one more year. They struggled through a recent stretch at 3-13, but manager Mike Quade got a vote of confidence by chairman Tom Ricketts and they’ve started this 7-game homestand at 4-1.

Wells won his first game of the year against Arizona on April 4, but was then out several weeks with a forearm strain. He returned on May 28 against Pittsburgh and struggled (five runs) while lasting just four innings.

The 28-year-old right-hander wasn’t sharp in his next two games either, but was much better last Tuesday, allowing just two earned runs over six innings against Milwaukee (5-4 win). He didn’t allow a home run after four in his first four outings.

Wells will look to build on that win, but had just a 5.47 ERA in four interleague starts last year (team going 2-2). This is his first career appearance against the Yankees.

The Cubs are 1-4 in their last five games against a left-handed starter. The ‘over’ is 7-2 in their last nine against a lefty.

The Yankees are 2-2 in interleague play this year after going 11-7 last season. They have MLB’s best interleague record all-time at 146-104 (58.4 percent). Chicago is 2-2 this year after being 8-10 last season.

Todd Tichenor will call balls and strikes. The home team is 11-3 in his last 14 games behind home plate. The ‘under’ is 5-2-1 in his last eight games behind the dish.

New York is playing without shortstop Derek Jeter (calf), but is 3-1 since he went on the 15-day DL.

Weather should be in the 70s with thundershowers likely for at least the start of the game. Both teams continue Interleague Play on Monday with New York in Cincinnati and the Cubs at their in-town rival White Sox.

[StarDust Bum]

Around the Horn - Sunday

June 18, 2011


NATIONAL LEAGUE


Houston at Los Angeles - 4:10 PM EST (Game 3/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Norris (4-5, 3.48 ERA) 2-7 L9 3-8 on Sundays
Kuroda (5-8, 3.31 ERA) 2-7 L9 3-6 L9 Game 3's




INTERLEAGUE


Pittsburgh at Cleveland - 1:05 PM EST (Game 3/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Karstens (4-4, 2.66 ERA) 5-2 L7 2-7 L9 Game 3's
Masterson (5-5, 3.16 ERA) 3-6 L9 1-4 L5 Sundays




Toronto at Cincinnati - 1:10 PM EST (Game 3/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Villaneuva (4-0, 3.25 ERA) 3-5 L8 OVER 4-0 L4 away Game 3's
Arroyo (5-6, 5.23 ERA) 4-2 L6 OVER 17-9 home vs RHP




Los Angeles at N.Y. Mets - 1:10 PM EST (Game 3/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Chatwood (3-4, 4.20 ERA) 4-2 L6 10-6 away during day
Niese (6-5, 3.46 ERA) 5-4 L9 6-1 L7 home during day




Texas at Atlanta - 1:35 PM EST (Game 3/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Ogando (7-1, 2.71 ERA) 1-5 L6 UNDER 5-1 L6 away Game 3's
Jurrjens (8-3, 2.13 ERA) 1-4 L5 7-0 L7 home Game 3's




Baltimore at Washington - 1:35 PM EST (Game 3/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Jakubauskas (1-0, 5.09 ERA) 1-6 L7 OVER 4-1 away on Sundays
Gorzelanny (2-4, 4.25 ERA) 8-0 L8 OVER 12-5 home vs RHP




Milwaukee at Boston - 1:35 PM EST (Game 3/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Gallardo (8-3, 3.76 ERA) 1-4 L5 OVER 6-1 L7 away vs RHP
Wakefield (3-2, 4.39 ERA) 11-1 L12 9-3 home during day




Florida at Tampa Bay - 1:40 PM EST (Game 3/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Volstad (2-7, 6.07 ERA) 1-15 L16 3-7 away during day
Shields (6-4, 2.60 ERA) 6-3 L9 1-4 home on Sundays




San Diego at Minnesota - 2:10 PM EST (Game 3/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Moseley (2-6, 3.16 ERA) 1-6 L7 10-3 away during day
Liriano (4-6, 4.67 ERA) 7-1 L8 4-0 L4 Game 3's




Kansas City at St. Louis - 2:15 PM EST (Game 3/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Duffy (1-2, 5.04 ERA) 5-3 L8 0-5 L5 away vs LHP
Garcia (6-2, 3.18 ERA) 0-7 L7 4-0 home on Sundays




Detroit at Colorado - 3:10 PM EST (Game 3/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Verlander (8-3, 2.66 ERA) 5-5 L10 4-2 away on Sundays
Cook (0-1, 3.97 ERA) 6-3 L9 OVER 5-2 L7 home vs RHP




San Francisco at Oakland - 4:05 PM EST (Game 3/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Cain (6-4, 3.61 ERA) 5-5 L10 1-6 L7 away during day
Cahill (6-5, 3.42 ERA) 4-3 L7 4-1 home on Sundays




Chicago at Arizona - 4:10 PM EST (Game 3/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Humber (6-3, 2.95 ERA) 2-4 L6 4-7 away Game 3's
Collmenter (4-2, 1.86 ERA) 5-2 L7 5-0 L5 home Game 3's




Philadelphia at Seattle - 4:10 PM EST (Game 3/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Hamels (9-2, 2.49 ERA) 7-1 L8 6-3 away Game 3's
Vargas (4-4, 4.13 ERA) 5-5 L10 0-6 L6 home vs LHP




N.Y. Yankees at Chicago - 8:10 PM EST (Game 3/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Trends Betcha Didn't Know
Sabathia (8-4, 3.28 ERA) 6-2 L8 5-1 L6 away Game 3's
Wells (1-1, 5.63 ERA) 4-1 L5 6-4 home vs LHP

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday, June 19

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Pittsburgh - 1:05 PM ET Pittsburgh +149 500
Cleveland - Over 8 500

Toronto - 1:10 PM ET Cincinnati -130 500
Cincinnati - Over 9 500

LA Angels - 1:10 PM ET NY Mets -138 500
NY Mets - Over 7.5 500

Milwaukee - 1:35 PM ET Milwaukee +106 500
Boston - Over 9 500

Baltimore - 1:35 PM ET Washington -135 500
Washington - Over 9 500

Texas - 1:35 PM ET Atlanta +100 500
Atlanta - Under 7 500

Florida - 1:40 PM ET Tampa Bay -195 500
Tampa Bay - Under 8 500

San Diego - 2:10 PM ET Minnesota -146 500
Minnesota - Over 7.5 500

Kansas City - 2:15 PM ET St. Louis -187 500
St. Louis - Over 8 500

Detroit - 3:10 PM ET Detroit -136 500
Colorado - Under 9 500

San Francisco - 4:05 PM ET San Francisco +103 500
Oakland - Over 7 500

Chi. White Sox - 4:10 PM ET Chi. White Sox +116 500
Arizona - Under 8 500

Philadelphia - 4:10 PM ET Seattle +144 500
Seattle - Under 6.5 500

Houston - 4:10 PM ET Houston +136 500
LA Dodgers - Over 7 500

NY Yankees - 8:05 PM ET Chi. Cubs +171 500
Chi. Cubs - Under 8.5 500