ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS(Anderson) +135 over New York Mets(Syndergaard)-----Syndergaard is actually pretty good(so far) with no statistically detectable control problems.   Mets now have the worst team batting average in baseball.   Az's offense is actually better than their 42-42 record would indicate.   Arizona has lost only 2 games in July and has an opportunity to advance on the leader in its division with............an extended winning streak.(Lose 4-2.........well Cody Anderson pitched a nice 6inn 1ER win for the Indians the day before this so I went with Anderson.  Very poor control by Anderson early in this game:  a walk and then going to 2-0 on Duda before his HR.  Michael Cuddyer an HR for Mets.   In 10 other starts Syndergaard pitched 8innings only 1 time.  And he went 8innings in this game while getting 13K's.  He's never had 13 K's in any other start.   So this defiant performance against us seems deeply meaningful.   And we will attempt to digest its meaning.)

DETROIT(Verlander) +110 over Minnesota(Santana)------Verlander.................well;  seems he needs our support as...........he's been pretty bad.   But look at Tigers' offense:  .281 av and 833 Total Hits is the best in baseball by a good margin.  (Ok,  Cabrera is OUT for Tigers).(Lose 8-6.......Verlander was taken out with 2 outs in the 8th inning after allowing 5 hits,  1ER and 1BB in the game(a good game for him).   Verlander had thrown 116 pitches.   He left with a 6-1 lead.   Tigers bullpen:  Bruce Rondon and Joakim Soria combine to get 2 outs,  allow 6 hits,  1 BB,  1 HBP(Kurt Suzuki) and 7 Earned Runs.  (Soria didn't get anybody out).   116 pitches is a lot so its hard to call for the firing of Brad Ausmus strictly because of this.   However,  the Tigers' offense has been so good that one must view the Tigers' mediocre record (44-43) with suspicion:  My guess is that Ausmus will be fired sometime in August.)