The Furious Foursome – MLB Betting Gauntlet

*Home team in caps

Chicago Cubs over CINCINNATI REDS – 1:10pm EST
The Cubs seem to think that Tom Gorzelanny, the left handed 27-year old, isn’t completely lost. Of course, it’s one thing to think that a guy with a 4.87 ERA can resurrect his career. It’s completely different for the Reds to throw Mike Leake in to the thick of things without any stint in the minors. No matter what I think of the Reds, I have no idea what to think of Leake. I’ll side with the bats of the cubs against a rookie.

Tampa Bay Rays over NEW YORK YANKEES – 1:40pm EST
There’s no other pitcher I love to watch suffer than A.J. Burnett, who will take the mound against the pesky Tampa Bay Rays in a battle against James Shields. The 6-foot-4 ace for Tampa has been the model of consistency at the mount, pitching a career ERA of 4.01. Burnett has a nasty habit of getting rattled when teams get 4.5 hits or more against him, and that’s exactly what will happen when Tampa uses this series to serve notice to the defending champs to keep one eye open.

Philadelphia Phillies over HOUSTON ASTROS – 2:05 pm EST
Doc Halladay is going to be slicing and dicing the national league with the type of surgical precision that made him one of the most coveted pitchers in the game. When he’s playing, there’s now ay I’m betting against the Phillies. Roy Oswalt will be defending the dirt for the Astros, and I think it’s high time we knock the 32-year old righty down. His ERA is slowly increasing, although part of that is because Houston doesn’t have the bats to back him up. Bet Philadelphia easily.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS over Boston Red Sox – 2:10pm EST
Clay Buchholz may have been the talk of Boston a few MLB betting seasons ago, but now things have died down. The 25-year old right hander went just 7-4 SU with an ERA of 4.21 in 2009. Boston isn’t the defensive team it used to be, but that may change. One thing they have to do is prove that they still have the bats to contend in the AL East.

The Kansas City Royals have a deeper bullpen then you’d imagine, and the return of Gil Meche from a shoulder injury will only bolster that depth. With the Red Sox in town over the weekend, the Royals’ fans will pack the stadium and that means that Clay Buchholz will have plenty of flutter in his ears to distract him. Meche is a veteran and until we see consistency out of Boston’s bats, they’re a stay away on the road.

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