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Rough one yesterday as the White Sox blew a 2 run lead in the bottom of the ninth and Milwaukee dropped a close one in the twelfth. We're still up +941 units in September and we look to get back to the winning ways today.

View past 2005 MLB picks.

Good luck today...

Pettite takes the mound in a crucial game for the Wild Card race. These two teams are in a dead heat for the NL Wild Card which will make this a playoff like atmosphere in Houston. Florida's bullpen is atrocious on the road, and ump Bill Hohn is a pitcher's best friend. Good news for Andy Pettitte who is 15-9 with a 2.48 ERA (2.26 at home). Over his five game winning streak, it's down to 1.57. Road underdogs of +150 or more with poor power (<0.9 HR's/game) and struggling to score (4 straight games where they stranded 7 or less runners on base) facing a starting pitcher who gives up 0.5 or less HR's/start are just 7-59 (11%) since 1997. Houston is 19-10 vs. winning teams since the All-Star break. Three stars on the Astros.

Prior gets way too much respect. Yes, he is a very good young arm, but the Cards are known for taking top pitchers to the woodshed. And, no one is hotter than Jeff Suppan right now (1 earned run givien up in his last three starts). Over the last two seasons, Suppan 15-2 vs. marginal losing teams (Win Pct. 46% to 49%). The Cards are off a close loss and they bounce back BIG after those types of losses. They are 26-4 after a loss by 2 runs or less this season. The Cards do very well after losing a game by any amount. St. Louis is 45-9 following a loss this season. After dropping one in ugly late inning action against the lowly Pirates, they'll come out swinging here. This looks like great value. Three stars on the Cardinals.

Anaheim dropped three straight to last-place Seattle. Oh my. That ain't good for a team holding on to a one-game lead in the AL West. All signs point to an easy Anaheim win here tonight with Bartolo Colon on the mound but wait a moment. Colon is only 8-7 against Detroit with a 4.72 ERA while his counterpart, Mike Maroth, is 3-1 vs. Anaheim. Maroth has pitched very well on the road this season and he's been hot lately with a 3.32 ERA. The Angels are barely over .500 in games in which they are huge favorites (-150 or more) this season and they have a losing record (11-14) vs. losing teams in the second half of the season (see Seattle). Against really bad teams like Detroit (38% - 46% win %), they are just 7-12. With their propensity to play down to their competition, we think Detroit has a shot here and at this line, it's great value. One star on Detroit.