Two MLB Plays from Prof. Meyer All stats and records quoted here can be confirmed using the Sports data Query Language (SDQL)
[B]Houston +110 over CHICAGO (NL)[/B] – Since the start of the 2006 season, Brett Myers has started against the Cubs seven times. His teams are 7-0 and he produced seven straight quality starts. In these seven starts he has Cy Young – like numbers. He averaged 7.81 innings pitched and allowed an average of 1.71 runs. That’s an ERA of 1.48. He has struck out an average of 8.57 batters while allowing only 1.14 walks and his WHIP is 0.96. With the Astros, he is 3-0 against the Cubs, and he was not favored in any of the three starts.
In Myers’ last outing, he had a quality start in Arizona, but his bullpen allowed a late run and the Astros lost 4-3 as a 130 dog. Well, since he joined the Astros, Myers is 5-0 when he is off a quality start in which they lost. He has quality starts in each of his last four in this spot.
This is the rubber game of a three game set. In the opener, the Cubs came from behind to win 5-4 and yesterday, the Astros returned the favor by winning 7-3. Randy Wells is not at his best in this spot. In fact, the Cubs are 0-5 as a FAVORITE vs an NL foe with Randy Wells in the third game of a three-game series that is tied at one. In his three starts in this situation this season the Cubs lost 6-3, 8-1 and 16-5. Ouch.
As a team, Chicago is 3-8 in the last game of a home series that is even at one each. Houston, on the other hand is a very profitable 13-6 as a DOG in the last game of a three game series when they split the first two.
Brett Myers has dominated the Cubs and Chicago seems to adopt a defeatist attitude in this spot. The Cubs are 3-10 as a home favorite when they lost the last time they faced their opponent’s starting pitcher.
Finally, the Cubs are a gutless, money-burning 1-10 as a FAVORITE after a loss as a favorite of more than 110 in which they were shut out over the last 6 innings. Their only win came as a 220 favorite over the Pirates.
Houston has been a very quiet 48-39 since June 1st. Brett Myers has produced eleven quality starts in his last twelve outings. Why is Chicago favored here?
MTi’s FORECAST: Houston 6 CHICAGO 3
[B]San Francisco +120 over ARIZONA [/B]– Arizona has lost four straight. Yesterday, they trailed after every inning and lost 6-3 to these Giants. They managed only six hits and did not draw a single walk. The Diamondbacks have shown no backbone whatsoever in this spot. Arizona is 0-9 at home vs a team that has won at least their last two games and it is not the first game of a series. The Diamondbacks are 0-12 after a loss in which they did not draw a walk and a money-burning 0-13 as a home FAVORITE of less than 200vs an NL opponent in the last game of a series when seeking revenge for a loss in which they had six or fewer hits. The SDQL text is:
team=Diamondbacks and HC and -200
