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BASEBALL — August 31

CHI. WHITE SOX at MINNESOTA
(Floyd vs. Blackburn: White Sox -110, Blackburn -110, Total 9) — Nick Blackburn has been removed from six of his last seven starts, and during his last eight outings the Twins are 1-7 and he has an ERA of 8.22. So we can conclude that he is not going through his best period this season. ven in a start when he came back a little he still allowed three runs in 5-2/3 frames, with eleven Orioles reaching base. We prefer Gavin Floyd, who has not necessarily put together a great string of starts but has gone a lot of innings and has avoided being blown out in all cases but one since the All-Star break. Certainly the Twins’ home record (37-29) and the White Sox’ three-game losing streak have to mean something, but we just don’t find Blackburn to be trustworthy.

THE PLAY: CHI. WHITE SOX (-110) ***

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BASEBALL — August 31

HOUSTON at CHI. CUBS
(Oswalt vs. Harden: Cubs -150, Astros +130, Total 7) — The Cubs are still trying to a viable factor in either the division race or in the wild card battle, but time is running out on them. They have an obstacle to deal with, namely Roy Oswalt, who was only able to complete and inning and two-thirds against them on July 28 before going out with an injury. Since then he had a couple of rough outings but has been solid in his last two. Tonight the Cubs are well-armed with Rich Harden, who has gone eight straight starts without allowing more than two runs. This marks a major turnaround for Harden, who got beat up a little in the early going. After the All-Star break he has an ERA of just 1.80. After being swept by the Diamondbacks, during which time they were outscored 27-10, we can’t believe the Astros are in such great shape now.

THE PLAY: CHI. CUBS (-150) **

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BASEBALL — August 31

PITTSBURGH at CINCINNATI (2nd Game)
(Maholm vs. Cueto: Reds -130, Pirates +110, Total 8.5) — This is the second game of a day-night doubleheader in Cincinnati. Johnny Cueto is being brought off the disabled list for this contest, having been put on there for shoulder inflammation, and we don’t know if he’s ever gotten over that fiasco in Philadelphia, when he gave up nine runs in two-thirds of an inning. That was a couple of months after his brilliant eight-inning stint against these Pirates, where he allowed four hits without a run. He’s been blown up several times in the last month and a half; when you “only” give up 12 base runners in six innings, as he did against the Cubs on July 25, and that is one of your better outings, that is not a good sign. Why isn’t Paul Maholm getting enough respect? The guy has posted two solid outings in a row, giving up two runs in 14-2/3 innings, and he’s had interesting fortune against the Reds, going 2-0 with a 1.83 ERA in his last five starts against them.

THE PLAY: PITTSBURGH (+110) ***

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BASEBALL — August 31

ATLANTA at FLORIDA
(Kawakami vs. Johnson: Marlins -155, Braves +135, Total 8.0) — This is a big series, as the Braves and Marlins are even in the packing order in the National League wild card race. Kenshin Kawakami has managed to keep the braves in a lot of games, but they have often disappointed him with their inability to score runs. He’s not a big stirkeout pitcher,m but his control has been pretty good of late (four walks in his last 19 innings of work). Josh Johnson has been a little more treachable of late; in his first 22 starts, he allowed more than three runs only once, but he has done it twice in his last five outings. The question is whether we want to throw in at this number. We actually kind of like the edge Atlanta has in the bullpen, and that’s going to come into play as Johnson is working less innings per start now.

THE PLAY: ATLANTA (+135) **

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BASEBALL — August 30

ATLANTA at PHILADELPHIA
(Jurrjens vs. Blanton: Phillies -130, Braves +110, Total 9) — The Braves may not have a golden chance to overtake the Phillies in the National League East, but they are sitting ahead of the Florida Marlins and find themselves chasing the Rockies and Giants in the wild card race, where they are very much alive. So far they have fallen to Pedro Martinez with rookie sensation Tommy Hanson, and clubbed Cliff Lee with Derek Lowe on the mound. You can’t argue very much with the consistency Joe Blanton has demonstrated (eleven straight starts allowing three runs or less), and he is going to round out an interesting rotation for the Phils in the playoffs. Jair Jurrjens is the best starting pitcher the Braves have, and he has not been intimidated in the least about facing this Philadelphia lineup, chalking up a 0.92 ERA in three starts against them this year, allowing just NINE hits in 19-2/3 innings. Why couldn’t he continue that, and why shouldn’t we back him as an underdog?

THE PLAY: ATLANTA (+110) ***

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BASEBALL — August 30

KANSAS CITY at SEATTLE
(Greinke vs. Rowland-Smith: Royals -135, Mariners +115, Total 7.5) — Zach Greinke has not been unreachable by any means lately, but he has been smoking batters, with 23 strikeouts and just two walks in his last 15 innings. This is his first start of the year against Seattle, but he was able to handle a similar lineup last year while allowing just one run and a paltry seven hits in 16 innings. The question is whether his Royals teammates can come up with enough runs to actually support him. They are 7-3 with him on the mound when they are able to score more than three runs. Whether Ryan Rowland-Smith will be accommodating along those line sis a big question. Rowland-Smith’s 0.97 WHIP ratio and .208 opponent’s batting average at Safeco Field are something to worry about, and let’s not forget that the Royals have averaged a league-low 3.6 runs a game as the visitor, and that the M’s, who are 19 games better than KC in the standings, have won five of their last six games.

THE PLAY: SEATTLE (+115) ***

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BASEBALL — August 30

HOUSTON at ARIZONA
(Rodriguez vs. Haren: D-Backs -135, Astros +115, Total 7.5) — Dan Haren rebounded well with a seven-inning, six-strikeout, two-run stint against the Giants last time out, but the questions still linger about some of those sub-par outings and his inability to extend first-half success into the second halves of seasons. He’s going to be severely tested here, because Wandy Rodriguez has been close to unhittable in nine of his last ten starts. Outside of a ten-run blowup against Milwaukee on August 14, he has both an ERA and WHIP ratio of 0.73 since July 1. Try finding anyone in the National League who has pitched better than that. And we’re getting him at a great price in this one, so we will roll with the Astros despite Haren’s 2.07 ERA mark at Chase Field.

THE PLAY: HOUSTON (+115) ***