Philadelphia Phillies @ New York Mets u9.5 (-120) MLB Odds - Thu July 24 ‘08 12:10p
Oliver Perez of the New York Mets has simply owned the Philadelphia Phillies recently while the ageless Jamie Moyer has turned back the clock and is in excellent form. Expect both offenses to struggle in this very early matinee. Perez has faced the Phillies three times this season, and incredibly, he has yet to allow a run against them, tossing 18.1 scoreless innings while allowing just 11 hits and recording 15 strikeouts. This makes six straight times that Perez has held Philadelphia to three earned runs or less going back to last year. He is also in sizzling current form, allowing two earned runs or less in his last four starts overall, with just 15 hits allowed and 27 strikeouts in 26 innings. All that Moyer has done is allow three runs or less in eight consecutive starts. In a year where Kyle Kendrick has struggled and Brett Myers has spent part of the season in the minors, it is the steady Moyer that has been the second best pitcher on the staff after ace Cole Hamels. Moyer is also a perfect three for three in Quality Starts vs. these Mets this season, and he is an amazing seven for seven in Quality Starts against them since the start of last year. Throw in the normal lethargy that come with these 12 Noon starts, and runs should be hard to come by today. MLB Free Pick: Phillies, Mets Under 9.5 (-120)
 
Tampa Bay Rays (-120) MLB Odds - Thu July 24 ‘08 8:10p
Matt Garza of the Tampa Bay Rays has pitched as well as any pitcher in the American League over the last month or so except for one bad start in Cleveland, and with the Rays winning both of their series since the All-Star break, they get the call as small road chalk in this series opener vs. the Kansas City Royals. The Rays certainly stumbled into the break, losing seven straight games including getting swept by the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians. However, the break appears to have done them good, as they have taken two out of three games from both the Toronto Blue Jays and the Oakland Athletics. Meanwhile, the Royals were just swept here at home by the Detroit Tigers. Now Garza has been brilliant, and he is coming off of an outing vs. the Blue Jays where he tossed 7.2 scoreless innings and allowed just two hits and walked nobody. This marked his seventh Quality Start in the last eight starts, and it was also the fourth time in seven starts that he allowed one run or less, and the second time in five starts that he allowed two hits or less. He also posted a Quality Start in his only outing vs. the Royals this year. Gil Meche was supposed to be the ace of the Kansas City Staff, so he must be considered a disappointment at 7-9 with a 4.48 ERA. Most disturbing is the fact that he has been even worse here at home, where he owns a poor 5.25 ERA and 1.41 WHIP. The last time he faced the Rays here, he was lit up for six earned runs and nine baserunners in six innings. Finally, if some relief is needed, the Rays also have the superior bullpen, ranking sixth in the majors with ac ollective 3.39 ERA while the Kansas City pen is sputtering along with a 4.20 ERA. This seems like a reasonable price, all things considered. MLB Free Pick: Rays -120

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