Editor's note: Brian Edwards has an 11-3-1 MLB record (78.6%, +887) over the last six days, leading "dime players" to $8,870 of profit. Don't miss Brian's pay-if-it-wins-only selection for tonight!

The Phillies and Red Sox are in danger of surrendering their respective division leads. The Yankees, who are in Pittsburgh tonight for the first time since 1960, are starting to play well. The Brewers are starting to look dangerous.

These are just a few of the MLB themes floating around prior to tonight's stacked card of interleague games (with the exception of Milwaukee-Atlanta).

**Rays at Marlins**

--Tampa Bay (44-31, +1,147) took two out of three from its in-state rival in the first round of the Citrus Series two weekends ago. The Rays go into this spot in second place in the American League East, trailing division-leading Boston by only one game.

--Florida (40-35, +1,247) brings a 22-15 home record into this spot. Fredi Gonzalez’s squad is just one back of the NL East leaders, the Phillies.

--Florida LHP Scott Olsen (4-4, 3.51 ERA) owns a 3-3 record and 2.89 ERA in nine home starts. The southpaw is 1-1 with a 0.77 ERA in two lifetime starts against the Rays. Olsen did not throw in the previous series in St. Petersburg.

--Tampa Bay will give the starting nod to Andy Sonnanstine, who is 8-3 with a 4.92 ERA this year. The right-hander is 2-0 with a 3.65 ERA in a pair of career starts against the Marlins. Sonnanstine is 4-1 with a 4.38 ERA in six road assignments this season.

--Tampa Bay has a 12-9 record against left-handed pitching.

--The ‘over’ is an MLB-best 49-27 when the Marlins take the field. They have watched the ‘over’ go 24-15 in their home games.

--The ‘under’ is 44-35 overall for the Rays, but the ‘over’ is 20-15 in their road games.

--As of early this morning, most books had the side as a pick ‘em with a few spots slightly favoring Florida at a minus 115 price. The total is nine. Bettors can expect to get an ultra-generous return if they want to back the Fish on the run line (minus 1 ½ runs).

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**Phillies at A’s**

--Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Oakland (41-34, +802) as a minus 115 ‘chalk’ with a total of nine ‘under’ (minus 120). Gamblers can back the A’s for at least a plus 170 payout (risk $100 to win $170).

--Philadelphia (42-35, -20) appeared poised to take control of the NL East a couple of weeks ago, but Charlie Manuel’s club has now lost five consecutive games and seven of its last eight. Nevertheless, the Phillies maintain a one-game lead over the Marlins in the NL East.

--The A’s took two out of three from the Marlins over the weekend, including Sunday’s 7-1 win as minus 160 favorites.

--Oakland is 24-18 at home, while Philadelphia is 20-17 on the road.

--Joe Blanton (3-10, 4.81) will get the starting nod for the A’s. The right-hander hasn’t received much run support this year, posting a 1-7 record with a 3.98 ERA in 11 home assignments.

--Philadelphia will counter with Jamie Moyer, who is 7-4 with a 4.09 ERA this season. The veteran southpaw has been especially effective on the road, compiling a 4-1 record and 2.76 ERA in seven starts.

--Oakland slugger Eric Chavez has a .323 average and six career homers in 65 career at-bats against Moyer.

--The A’s are 14-13 versus lefties.

--The ‘under’ is on a 15-4 run in the Phillies’ last 19 games. For the season, the ‘under’ is 41-40 overall, 19-18 in their road games.

--Oakland has seen the ‘under’ go 38-31 overall, 20-18 in its home outings.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

--There seems to be a lot of debate over the last few days as to whether or not Curt Schilling is a Hall of Famer. I say yes, although I’m ok if it doesn’t happen in first-ballot fashion. Although his 216 career wins and 3.46 ERA are seemingly a tad shy of HOF status, there’s no way you can ignore his big-game moments. Schilling posted an 11-2 record and 2.23 ERA in 19 post-season starts, walking just 25 batters and fanning 120 in 133 1/3 innings of work. When Arizona won the World Series in 2001, the right-hander went 4-0 with a 1.12 ERA. Schilling has three World Series rings (one with the D-backs, two with the Red Sox) and if his career is over, it says here that his work is deserving of a HOF induction in Cooperstown.

--Toronto RHP A.J. Burnett will get the ball Tuesday against the Reds. The right-hander has been awful lately, going 1-2 with an 11.30 ERA in his last three starts. Burnett is 1-3 with a 6.89 ERA in six career starts against Cincinnati.

--Cincy sluggers Adam Dunn (2-for-11) and Ken Griffey Jr. (3-for-12) are both homerless against Burnett.

--The 'under' is an MLB-best 48-30 for the Braves, who saw another 'under' Monday in their 4-1 home loss to Milwaukee. Brewers ace Ben Sheets improved his record to 9-1 in a dominating performance. Sheets went the distance, scattering four hits and striking out seven without walking a batter.

--Atlanta slugger Chipper Jones missed his third straight start Monday and could miss the entire Milwaukee series. Since re-injuring his quad muscle, Jones' average has dipped from .420 to .393. On the bright side for Bobby Cox's club, Yunel Escobar returned to the lineup Monday, although he went hitless in four at-bats.

 --Along with the Marlins, Pittsburgh also boasts an MLB-best 49-27 record for the ‘over.’ The Pirates host the Yankees tonight  in the Bronx Bombers’ first trip to the Steel City since 1960.

--With last night's 5-2 home loss to Seattle, another defeat in a Johan Santana home start, the Mets fell to four games behind the Phillies. The Braves dropped to 4 1/2 games back with their loss, as Philadelphia was idle.