Free MLB Pick: Florida Marlins (-115)
Sat May 17 ‘08 7:10p - Click Here for MLB Odds
The Florida Marlins have now lost four straight after a very hot start, while the Kansas City Royals have won five straight after taking the series opener last night, but we feel that has given some nice line value to the Marlins here.

We are huge fans of Florida southpaw starter Scott Olsen, who is 4-1 with a nice 2.63 ERA and 1.08 WHIP so far, with the Marlins as a team going 7-1 in all of his starts. Olsen has three scoreless outings in his last six starts, and he allowed just one run in one other outing. Even if Olsen is in need of relief, the Marlins still rank 10th in the Major Leagues with a bullpen ERA of 3.41, which barely makes them a Bullpen System play in this spot.

Now Brian Bannister is usually solid for the Royals, but he has had terrible difficulties on the road lately. In his last two starts away from home, Bannister was lit up for seven earned runs in just three innings in Texas, and for five earned runs in five innings in Oakland. Throw in the fact that the Marlins reached him for four runs and nine hits in six innings in Kansas City last season, and we look for the Florida offense to have some success tonight.

That should be all the support that Olsen and the fine Marlins pen need.

MLB Free Pick: Marlins -115

Free MLB Pick: Minnesota Twins (115)
Sat May 17 ‘08 8:05p - Click Here for MLB Betting Odds
The Minnesota Twins improved to 26-8 in their last 34 interleague games by beating the Colorado Rockies here last night, and we look for that success to continue tonight with Livan Hernandez on the bump.

Hernandez is 6-1, albeit with a mediocre 3.90 ERA, and the Twins are 8-1 in all of his starts. He does have three straight Quality Starts though, all of them Minnesota victories, and he has a much better 2.05 ERA over those outings. Also, Hernandez has five Quality Starts in his last five appearances vs. the Rockies, with two of those coming here in the altitude of Colorado.

The Rockies counter with rookie Greg Reynolds, who was not impressive in his Major League debut at San Diego. Reynolds allowed four earned runs and eight baserunners in 5.2 innings vs. what is currently the worst-hitting team in baseball, and the jury is still out on how he will handle pitching in Colorado.

Finally, the Rockies have now lost eight consecutive interleague games, and we are not convinced they deserve to be favored here.

MLB Free Pick: Twins +115