Vegas Play of the Day: Reds at Cardinals

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Monday, June 26, 2017 | 11:41 a.m.

We’re entering the third season of the annual South Point-lined Play of the Day competition, effective July 1.

Starting bankrolls have reset to $10,000, with the maximum bet being to win $1,000 and the minimum wager $300. Ray Brewer won the 2015-2016 season, after Taylor Bern prevailed in 2014-2015. Bern stepped away in the middle of the 2016-2017 season with a 16-12 record and $13,317 bankroll, with Mike Grimala taking his place.

St. Louis Cardinals minus-140 vs. Cincinnati Reds, $420 to win $300 : Michael Wacha hasn’t turned into the ace St. Louis Cardinals officials thought they had a few years ago. He has failed to make it out of the fourth inning in his last two starts and has an ugly 4.76 earned run average.

But, yes there is a but, on April 8 he dominated the Reds in pitching into the seventh inning. Wacha gave up three hits and one run in striking out six batters, in showing the promise that at one time earned him the label as one of the game’s best up-and-coming pitchers.

The Reds have won just two of their past eight games, which sets the table for Wacha to have a nice bounce-back start tonight. The small wager is more about money management in our contest — which I’m close to winning — then my confidence in St. Louis. It should win big.

Current Standings: Brewer (35-33-2, $9,325), Grimala (11-15, $8,263) Granger (18-23-1, $7,873), Keefer (45-44-3, $6,185)

Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21