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Tuesday's MLB Tip Sheet
April 7, 2008
By Brad Young VegasInsider.com
T he baseball season is past the Opening Week festivities and is now settling into a steady regular campaign that will take us through early October. Starting pitchers have already been through the rotation once, giving handicappers a better feel for what to expect.
Let’s break down four games on Tuesday’s schedule, with two games featured in both the American and National League.
**Reds (Cueto) at Brewers (Suppan)**
-Caesars Palace installed Cincinnati as a $1.15 road ‘chalk’ over Milwaukee, with the total set at 8 ½ ‘under’ (minus $1.20). This National League Central contest is scheduled to start at 8:05 p.m. ET.
-Cincinnati rookie right-hander Johnny Cueto gets his second major-league start after beating Arizona Thursday as a $1.25 home favorite, 3-2. The Dominican Republic native went seven innings, allowing just one run on one hit (a home run) with no walks and 10 strikeouts.
-The combined five runs never seriously threatened the 9 ½-run closing total. The total has alternated in all seven of Cincinnati’s games this season after going ‘under’ Monday against Philadelphia.
-The Reds begin a lengthy nine-game road trip with this contest. Cincinnati has a three-game set against Milwaukee before traveling to Pittsburgh and ending up at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.
-Milwaukee pitcher Jeff Suppan started the 2008 campaign with Wednesday’s road victory over Chicago as a $1.50 underdog, 8-2. The combined 10 runs slithered ‘over’ the 9 ½-point closing total.
-The veteran right-hander was reached for two runs on six hits (two home runs) with two walks and two strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings.
-Suppan went 1-2 versus Cincinnati last year in four starts, going a combined 23 innings while yielding 15 earned runs on 28 hits (two home runs) with seven walks and 11 strikeouts. The Brewers prevailed as a $1.65 home ‘chalk, 5-3, and as a $1.50 road underdog, 4-3, while losing as a $1.25 home favorite, 8-3, and as a $1.10 road ‘dog, 7-3.
**Dodgers (Billingsley) at Diamondbacks (Davis)**
-Caesars Palace opened Los Angeles as a $1.40 road favorite over Arizona, with the total set at nine ‘over’ (minus $1.20). This NL West affair is slated to start at 9:40 p.m. ET.
-Los Angeles pitcher Chad Billingsley has already appeared in two games this young season, but the right-hander is making his first start. The three-year veteran tossed 1/3 of an inning against San Francisco Wednesday, surrendering one run on two hits.
-The 23-year-old tossed two innings against San Diego Friday, allowing just one hit with a walk and two strikeouts.
-Billingsley was 1-1 versus Arizona last year in three starts, going a combined 17 2/3 innings while yielding seven earned runs on 14 hits (four home runs) with nine walks and 16 strikeouts. The Dodgers triumphed as a road ‘pick,’ 6-5 and 7-1, while losing as a $1.45 home ‘chalk,’ 1-0.
-Arizona southpaw Doug Davis dropped his opening start against Cincinnati Thursday as a $1.10 road underdog, 3-2. The combined five runs never seriously threatened the 9 ½-point closing total.
-The 6-foot-4 hurler lasted just 3 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits (one home run) with six walks and four strikeouts.
-Davis was 1-2 versus Los Angeles last year in three starts, yielding a combined seven runs (four earned) on 17 hits (one home run) with seven walks and 16 strikeouts over 19 2/3 innings. The Diamondbacks prevailed as a $1.35 road underdog, 1-0, while falling as a $1.23 road ‘dog, 2-1, and as a $1.50 road ‘dog, 7-4.
**Yankees (Hughes) at Royals (Bannister)**
-Caesars Palace lists New York as a $1.40 road ‘chalk’ over Kansas City, with the total set at nine ‘over’ (minus $1.15). This American League contest is scheduled to begin at 4:10 p.m. ET.
-New York’s Philip Hughes picked up a no-decision in Thursday’s six-inning effort against Toronto. The Yankees eventually won that contest as a $1.70 road favorite, 3-2, while the combined five runs went ‘under’ the nine-run closing total. The ‘under’ is 6-1 for the Bronx Bombers after their Monday victory over Tampa Bay, 6-1.
-Hughes surrendered two runs on four hits versus the Blue Jays, with a walk and four strikeouts.
-The two-year veteran escaped with a no-decision in his lone start against the Royals last year, yielding six runs on seven hits (one home run) with two walks and five strikeouts over just 4 2/3 innings. New York eventually rallied to prevail as a $2.70 home favorite, 16-8.
-Kansas City pitcher Brian Bannister beat Detroit Wednesday as a $1.60 road underdog, 4-0. The four runs never seriously threatened the 9 ½-point closing total.
-The University of Southern Cal product tossed seven scoreless innings on two hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
-Bannister dropped his only start against the Yankees last year as a $1.48 home underdog, 11-5. The righty was reached for seven runs on seven hits (three home runs) with three walks and a strikeout over just five innings. The combined 16 runs soared ‘over’ the 9 ½-point closing total.
**Indians (Westbrook) at Angels (Santana)**
-Caesars Palace installed Los Angeles as a $1.25 home favorite over Cleveland, with the total listed at 8 ½ ‘over’ (minus $1.20). This contest is slated to start at 10:05 p.m. ET.
-Cleveland right-hander Jake Westbrook fell to Chicago Thursday as a $1.80 home ‘chalk,’ 2-1, while the combined three runs went ‘under’ the 9 ½-run closing total.
-The eight-year veteran went 7 1/3 innings, allowing both runs on six hits (two home runs) with a walk and three strikeouts.
-Westbrook went 0-1 against the Angels last year in two starts, going a combined 13 2/3 innings while surrendering five runs (four earned) on 10 hits with nine walks and six strikeouts. The Indians fell as a $1.25 home favorite, 4-1, and as a $1.30 road ‘dog, 3-2. The ‘under’ cashed in both contests.
-Los Angeles pitcher Ervin Santana upended Minnesota Thursday as a road ‘pick,’ 5-4, while the combined nine runs slithered ‘under’ the 9 ½-run closing total.
-The 25-year-old right hander was reached for two runs on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts over six innings.
-Santana dropped all three starts against Cleveland last year, falling as a $1.25 road ‘dog, 7-6, as a $1.23 home favorite, 5-1, and as a $1.20 home ‘dog, 6-1. The 6-foot-2 hurler went a combined 17 innings, allowing 12 runs on 20 hits (three home runs) with nine walks and 13 strikeouts. The ‘under’ went 2-1 during those games.
Brad Young can be reached at byoung@vegasinsider.com.
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