Our selection is on the Dallas Cowboys plus the points over Minnesota. This will be a tough game for the Vikings, who are working on an awfully short work week. Minnesota played Monday night down in Houston, and then had to travel back home for this game -- just four days later. After starting the preseason with three wins, there's little to rove here, and the primary focus for the Vikings' coaches will be to come out of this game healthy. Dallas, on the other hand, last played on Saturday, so it will have had six days between its last game and Friday -- a 2-day work advantage. The Cowboys also check in off a 7-point home loss, and now fall into a 37-17 ATS system of mine that plays on certain teams off a 7-point loss, who are matched up against a foe off a win. Look for an upset here. Take the points.
Dan Haren's first-half brilliance has turned into second-half futility. Ride the Rockies into the pay line tonight at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Our Friday night MLB selection is on the Colorado Rockies at home in Coors Field over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Earlier in the season, Arizona's righthanded starter Dan Haren was being talked about as the favorite for the 2009 NL Cy Young award. But guys like reigning Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum and St. Louis ace Adam Wainwright have now perhaps put some distance between themselves and Haren.
The former Oakland A's hurler put up an amazing ERA of 2.01 in 18 first half starts, but he has seen that number balloon to 4.50 since the break and he has looked like anything but a Cy Young contender in his last three starts, going 1-1 with a 5.21 ERA and 1.32 WHIP.
Colorado righthander Jason Hammel certainly won't be in contention for the Cy Young, but he may be getting something that Haren definitely won't have and that's the chance to pitch in the postseason. The Rockies have been playing some pretty good ball lately and they're only 4½ games behind the Dodgers and leading the way in the NL Wild Card race.
They've been especially tough at home, going 6-2 in their last eight games at Coors Field and Hammel has been pitching very well lately, with a 2.37 ERA in this last three starts, while the Rockies have won four of his last six times to the hill. Take the Rockies.
BIG AL McMordie 9/4
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