NO JOHN HAN-COCK

Apparently a Barry Bonds fan caught that monster homerun ball the other day, number 713 of Bonds' career. The 25-year old fan, an Air Force serviceman, was happy to be able to shake Bonds’ hand and get a picture with him but Bonds refused to sign the ball. Are you kidding me?! Whomever catches number 715 and 756, if he should get there, better not give the ball to the Hall of Fame. Let that prick pay the million or $1.5 million and then agree to loan it to the Hall of Fame; oh yeah, and only after he signs the thing. "I'm happy because I got a picture and he shook my hand," he said. There was one signature needed though. Oliveras had to sign a waiver for Bonds' reality show. 6-2 in posted picks yesterday… let’s see if we can keep it going. Baltimore hitters have had some decent success against Nate Robertson but Robertson has three straight solid starts and the O’s hit .206 versus lefties this season. Baltimore has the second worst pen in the majors while Detroit has the third best. Hopefully, Cabrera doesn’t go too deep. Go Detroit. The A’s have been better on the road posting a 9-5 record. Haren goes against the Blue Jays and Josh Towers. Towers is 0-6 with a 10.59 ERA. Towers is 0-6 with a 10.59 ERA? Yes, that is true but three of those starts were against Boston, one against the Yankees and another against the White Sox. The other was his first outing of the season against the Twins. Linesmakers believe the excuses and Oakland is only -105. Towers was much more respectable last year but still had issues with Oakland. Haren has been rocky himself but the A’s pen has been solid. Toronto’s pen has a 5.13 ERA, so make Josh Towers beat you. Jao Seo has been touched up this year. He hasn’t had too much experience against Houston batters with the exception of Preston Wilson who is 7-12 against him. Pettite too has had issues but did throw 7 solid innings of 1 hit and 1 run ball against the Dodgers two weeks ago- which the Astros proceeded to lose 6-2. The Dodgers have been putting up some runs and hit lefties to the tune of .306 this season. Both pens are poor, 21st and 28th in the majors, 13th and 15th in the NL. That 7.5 run over/under line looks small. Its hard to go with the over in LA but the OU is 7-1-1 in the last nine at Chavez-Ravine- of course the five before that were all unders. Taking the Dodgers and the over. Pedro versus Myers and the Phillies eight game winning streak. This is a classic confrontation. Myers was solid versus the Mets last season in four starts but had trouble with Delgado and Clifford Floyd. Streak or no streak you still gotta beat Pedro. Both teams have solid bullpens so when the starters hand off the baton they should still finish under 7.5 runs. I think this will be a pitcher’s duel as billed. In the end, Vote for Pedro. Someone will be along with you shortly to help you with your NBA picks. - nutlow