Mlb Picks - May 21, 2008

Yesterday we finished 2-3 for a loss. Despite yesterday's setback, we are winning at 63% (26-15) for +30.9 units over the last week. Today we are back with four more picks including a 5-unit selection.

Today's MLB Baseball Picks:

Game: Tampa Bay at Oakland (3:35 PM Eastern)
Pick: 4 units on Tampa Bay -104 (moneyline) (risk 4 to win 3.9)

My, how things have changed. Tampa Bay in virtually a pick-em game on the road without Kazmir on the hill - for good reason. The value is there as odds-makers try to decide if this team is for real and 40+ games into the season, they are every bit the real deal. Sonnanstine has pitched the Rays to six straight wins, and an ERA of under three, while the Rays have outscored these six teams by a margin of 34-14! Oakland is playing the worst baseball of any team right now, as they limp into this one just 2-8 in their last 10. Dana Eveland has pitched well, but the A's are just 1-3 in his last four starts. The main reason is this A's team has produced just 19 runs in their last eight games, and even Sandy Koufax would struggle to find the win column with that type of support. The Rays are winning and no reason to see it any differently today.

For as good as Ben Sheets' career has been, he is still just a .500 pitcher with a record of 77-75. He just hasn't pitched for good teams, and the Brewers are struggling once agian to a 21-24 mark, five games under .500 on the road, and losers of five of their last six. The Pirates have been just as mediocre, but at home they have been a surprise where they own a 12-9 mark. While Ian Snell hasn't been pretty at times the Pirates are 6-3 in his nine starts and where he has shined is at home where they are a perfect 3-0. As a home dog, division rivals always show value and we will ride the Pirates here.

Shawn Chacon gave the Yankees a lift a few years ago when they fell in desparate need for a starter. It turned his career around, and this season for the Astros, he has pitched well enough to keep them in every game, to the point where he has not a single decision in nine starts, four of the last six being Astro wins. Sean Gallagher has become a starter out of need for the Cubs and his 8+ ERA last year out of the pen shows he isn't equipped for frontline duty. To get the Astros at home in plus territory, in a division-rivalry game, against a pitcher that really hasn't shown much is too good to pass up in terms of overall value, so we'll grab the home dog here.

Last year the Indians scored plenty of runs and got great pitching. This year they are getting the pitching, but the offense has yet to make an appearance, and the result is four straight losses, and nine straight games of four runs or less. The average over the nine games has been 2.56 runs per game. That means the pitching has to be CY Young-like to find the win column, and the Tribe is having problems doing so, as they have now dipped under .500. The White Sox have been red-hot, winners of six straight. Javier Vasquez was coveted out of Montreal, disposed of by the Yankees, and emerged as a top-flight pitcher once again with the Sox. He went unnoticed with 15 wins last year and a 3.74 ERA, and is matching those numbers or better this year. May look like a surprise with the pale hose favored here, but right now they are the better team by a considerably larger margin.

Results: 2-2

MLB Baseball Picks Resources:

• Don't forget to visit our baseball picks blog.
• Read our MLB spreads here.
• Don't forget to visit our baseball against-the-spread standings.
• Here we show our 2008 MLB baseball prior picks season results.
• Here we show our 2008 season MLB handicapping preview.
• View MLB betting approach here.
• Don't forget to read our free mlb baseball picks here.
• Check out our updated mlb sportsbook reviews.
• Take a look at our MLB Game Preview here.
• Hop over to our baseball prior picks here.

Check out the last five MLB Baseball Picks Newsletters:

MLB-Baseball-Picks-May-20-2008
This is a game 1 pick in the doubleheader between the Mets and the Braves in Atlanta. The Mets have won back-to-back games, and have finally found their bats, as the offense has produced 18 runs in th...

MLB-Baseball-Picks-May-19-2008
The Astros return home after a marathon 10-game road trip. On the trip they went 7-3, scoring 5.8 runs per game. Lance Berkman hit .545 on the trip as his team scored less than 5 runs just twice on th...

MLB-Baseball-Picks-May-18-2008
Something is different with the Marlins. They are 24-18 to start the season and, get this, they are spending money! They laid out $70 million for a six-year deal with Hanley Ramirez on Saturday - the ...

MLB-Baseball-Picks-May-17-2008
Tampa Bay enters red-hot while the Cards have been struggling mightily after a good start. The problem for the Cards is they can't seem to get anyone out anymore, and in the past 14 games, the opp...

MLB-Baseball-Picks-May-16-2008
Washington spoiled the Mets chances to make the playoffs last September, and come back and take three of four in NY. Other than being Met killers the track record on the road for the Nats isn't ve...