Baseball Series of the Week – NYY vs LAA

Baseball gamblers everywhere will get a trio of great chances to boost the annual bankroll when the streaking New York Yankees look to extend their winning ways by controlling the inconsistent Los Angeles Angels in their weekend three-game set that gets underway tonight at 10:05 PM ET.

The Yankees enter Friday night’s series opener riding a four-game winning streak while the Halos come in looking to shake off a two-game losing streak that saw them score just three total runs over a pair of losses to Kansas City.

This expert handicapping breakdown on each of the three games between the Angels and Yankees will help baseball diamond bettors

Friday, June 3, 2011
Live from Angels Stadium, 10:05 PM ET

The Yankees Hill hand the ball to right-hander Ivan Nova (4-3, 4.67 ERA) hoping the young hurler can bounce back from a poor outing the last time out. Nova was smacked around for four earned runs on five hits in just 3.2 innings of a 5-4 loss to Seattle on Saturday.

The Angels will counter with staff ace right-hander Jered Weaver (6-4, 2.10 ERA) as they try to help the gifted veteran get back in the win column after suffering two consecutive no-decisions – and four consecutive losses.

Weaver tossed nine shutout innings against Minnesota on Saturday but got nothing to show from it in a narrow 1-0 loss to the Twins.

Analysis: I’m urging baseball bettors to back the Angels and Jered Weaver in this contest despite the fact that they’ve let their best starter down in a half-dozen consecutive starts.

Ivan Nova is pitching poorly right now which should help the Halos’ struggling offense put up just enough runs to win this game.

MLB Pick: Los Angeles Angels

Saturday, June 4, 2011
Live from Angels Stadium, 9:05 PM ET

The Angels could be in for some very serious trouble as Yankees staff ace lefty CC Sabathia looks to secure his fourth consecutive win in this contest. Sabathia has tossed at least eight innings in each of his last three starts and limited Seattle to one run on five hits in his last start.

The Angels are scheduled to counter with veteran right-hander Dan Haren (5-3, 2.29 ERA) but the competent starter was seen limping off the field following Wednesday’s loss to Kansas City. Haren reportedly experienced pain in his back while throwing a bullpen session and is now questionable for his scheduled start on Saturday against the Yankees.

Analysis: Haren or not, the Yankees are the easy pick here behind the often masterful CC Sabathia!

MLB Pick: New York Yankees

Sunday, June 5, 2011
Live from Angels Stadium, 3:35 PM ET

The Yankees will hand the ball to right-hander Bartolo Colon (3-3, 3.26 ERA) hoping the veteran can come close to duplicating his last start when he tossed his first complete game since 2006 while giving up just four hits in a 5-0 win over Oakland on Monday. Colon won the 2005 AL Cy Young Award – ironically – with the Angels.

The Halos will counter with gifted right-hander Ervin Santana (3-4, 4.34 ERA) looking to get a much better performance than he did in getting smacked around for six runs on seven hits of a 10-8 win over the Royals on Monday.

Analysis: Ervin Santana is one of the most maddening starting pitchers in all of baseball as he looks like a Cy Young winner in one outing and a Triple-A started the next.

Bartolo Colon should be able to match Santana pitch-for-pitch before New York’s far superior offense wins it late!

MLB Pick: New York Yankees