Saturday at the Park
The plot continues to thicken around baseball as July winds down with the division and playoff races tightening up. Two key AL matchups take place early in the day, as the Tigers visit the Yankees, while the Blue Jays host the Red Sox. Later in the afternoon, the three nationally televised FOX games all own a sub-plot inside the races. The highlighted matchup involves a former Cy Young Award looking to get back on track in Atlanta.
Mets at Braves (4:10 PM EST)
Two NL East rivals that are scratching and clawing their way toward the top of the Wild Card race meet up at Turner Field. Johan Santana has struggled since the start of June, with the Mets winning just three of his last eight starts. Santana has allowed 27 earned runs in that span, including losses in all four road outings.
The Mets ace has also had problems with the Braves since signing with New York in 2008. The Mets are 0-4 in Santana's starts against Atlanta, despite all four outings being quality ones. If you have followed Santana closely since his time in the Big Apple, two things have held him back - lack of run support and bullpen. The 'pen has improved this season with the acquisition of Francisco Rodriguez, but Santana has received just a measly three runs/start in 18 trips to the mound.
Thanks to the lack of run support and Santana's potential to dominate in any given trip to the mound, the Mets have hit the 'under' in 12 of his 18 starts, including seven of nine during the day.
Kenshin Kawakami has showed flashes of brilliance this season, but also has some questionable losses on his ledger. The Braves righty has road wins against the Red Sox, Phillies, and Cubs, but has lost to the Nationals, Reds, and Diamondbacks.
Kawakami had problems with run support from his lineup until recently, as the Braves are averaging 6 runs/game his last seven starts. Three of Kawakami's last four home starts have been quality outings, with the lone non-quality start coming against the Yankees (Kawakami left the game after getting hit by a line-drive in the fourth inning).
LVSC has opened up the Mets as a $1.20 road favorite, with the total set at 8.
Angels at A's (4:10 PM EST)
This series has been dominated by the road team this season (5-1 mark), while the Angels continue to score runs in bunches. Los Angeles has scored five runs or more in eight of its last nine games, while tallying at least nine runs on five occasions in this stretch.
Jered Weaver began the season as an 'under' machine, nailing nine of his first 11 starts. Lately, thanks to the Angels busting out at the plate, Weaver has drilled five straight 'overs.' The former Long Beach State star hasn't been as sharp recently, allowing 21 earned runs his last five starts, but he has struck out 104 batters while walking only 36 this season. Weaver has had some tough luck with the A's over the years, with the Angels winning two of his seven career starts. In that stretch, the Halos lost four times by one run, while Weaver delivered a quality start six times.
Vin Mazzaro had a promising start to his career by not allowing a run in his first two starts, wins over the White Sox and Orioles. Since then, the A's have lost Mazzaro's last six outings, while scoring just six runs in the process. That has translated into 'unders' in each of the right-hander's eight starts this season.
The Angels are a $1.30 road 'chalk', with the total listed at 8 ? according to LVSC.
Orioles at White Sox (4:10 PM EST)
The Pale Hose went on a nice hot streak before getting tripped up at Minnesota the final series of the first half. Chicago wrapped up a 13-game stretch against AL Central opponents with an 8-5 mark, but the Sox are just 3-5 the last eight games. The Orioles, meanwhile, continue to languish in the AL East cellar despite a 40-48 record. Baltimore owns the third-worst road record in baseball at 14-27.
Mark Buehrle looks for a bounce-back effort after getting shelled by the Twins his last time out. The White Sox lefty has been successful against the Orioles in his career, with Chicago winning six of his last eight starts. Buehrle has still been one of the top pitchers in the American League this season at 9-3, with an ERA of 3.66. However, Buehrle's day numbers compared to the night are contrasting. At night, the Sox lefty has been dominant, going 7-0, with an ERA of 3.02. Under the sun, Buehrle is just 2-3, as his ERA dips to 4.39. The 'under' has been a solid play in Buehrle's day starts, hitting six of nine times.
Jeremy Guthrie was expected to anchor this Baltimore staff, but injuries and ineffectiveness have slowed down that process. The Orioles right-hander has lasted only 14.1 innings his last three starts, while allowing 11 earned runs. Guthrie left his last start against the Mariners with a viral infection after only two innings, then missed his final scheduled outing before the All-Star Break with the same ailment.
Guthrie has terrible career numbers against the Sox, allowing 16 earned runs in four starts, with the O's winning just one of those games. Unlike Buehrle, Guthrie's better numbers are during the day, compiling a 3-1 record and ERA of 2.89 under the sun.
The White Sox have nailed plenty of 'unders' at home when facing a right-handed pitcher, doing so in 22 of 28 games at U.S. Cellular Field, including 10 of 13 during the day.
LVSC has installed the White Sox as a $1.50 home favorite, while the total is set at 9.
The plot continues to thicken around baseball as July winds down with the division and playoff races tightening up. Two key AL matchups take place early in the day, as the Tigers visit the Yankees, while the Blue Jays host the Red Sox. Later in the afternoon, the three nationally televised FOX games all own a sub-plot inside the races. The highlighted matchup involves a former Cy Young Award looking to get back on track in Atlanta.
Mets at Braves (4:10 PM EST)
Two NL East rivals that are scratching and clawing their way toward the top of the Wild Card race meet up at Turner Field. Johan Santana has struggled since the start of June, with the Mets winning just three of his last eight starts. Santana has allowed 27 earned runs in that span, including losses in all four road outings.
The Mets ace has also had problems with the Braves since signing with New York in 2008. The Mets are 0-4 in Santana's starts against Atlanta, despite all four outings being quality ones. If you have followed Santana closely since his time in the Big Apple, two things have held him back - lack of run support and bullpen. The 'pen has improved this season with the acquisition of Francisco Rodriguez, but Santana has received just a measly three runs/start in 18 trips to the mound.
Thanks to the lack of run support and Santana's potential to dominate in any given trip to the mound, the Mets have hit the 'under' in 12 of his 18 starts, including seven of nine during the day.
Kenshin Kawakami has showed flashes of brilliance this season, but also has some questionable losses on his ledger. The Braves righty has road wins against the Red Sox, Phillies, and Cubs, but has lost to the Nationals, Reds, and Diamondbacks.
Kawakami had problems with run support from his lineup until recently, as the Braves are averaging 6 runs/game his last seven starts. Three of Kawakami's last four home starts have been quality outings, with the lone non-quality start coming against the Yankees (Kawakami left the game after getting hit by a line-drive in the fourth inning).
LVSC has opened up the Mets as a $1.20 road favorite, with the total set at 8.
Angels at A's (4:10 PM EST)
This series has been dominated by the road team this season (5-1 mark), while the Angels continue to score runs in bunches. Los Angeles has scored five runs or more in eight of its last nine games, while tallying at least nine runs on five occasions in this stretch.
Jered Weaver began the season as an 'under' machine, nailing nine of his first 11 starts. Lately, thanks to the Angels busting out at the plate, Weaver has drilled five straight 'overs.' The former Long Beach State star hasn't been as sharp recently, allowing 21 earned runs his last five starts, but he has struck out 104 batters while walking only 36 this season. Weaver has had some tough luck with the A's over the years, with the Angels winning two of his seven career starts. In that stretch, the Halos lost four times by one run, while Weaver delivered a quality start six times.
Vin Mazzaro had a promising start to his career by not allowing a run in his first two starts, wins over the White Sox and Orioles. Since then, the A's have lost Mazzaro's last six outings, while scoring just six runs in the process. That has translated into 'unders' in each of the right-hander's eight starts this season.
The Angels are a $1.30 road 'chalk', with the total listed at 8 ? according to LVSC.
Orioles at White Sox (4:10 PM EST)
The Pale Hose went on a nice hot streak before getting tripped up at Minnesota the final series of the first half. Chicago wrapped up a 13-game stretch against AL Central opponents with an 8-5 mark, but the Sox are just 3-5 the last eight games. The Orioles, meanwhile, continue to languish in the AL East cellar despite a 40-48 record. Baltimore owns the third-worst road record in baseball at 14-27.
Mark Buehrle looks for a bounce-back effort after getting shelled by the Twins his last time out. The White Sox lefty has been successful against the Orioles in his career, with Chicago winning six of his last eight starts. Buehrle has still been one of the top pitchers in the American League this season at 9-3, with an ERA of 3.66. However, Buehrle's day numbers compared to the night are contrasting. At night, the Sox lefty has been dominant, going 7-0, with an ERA of 3.02. Under the sun, Buehrle is just 2-3, as his ERA dips to 4.39. The 'under' has been a solid play in Buehrle's day starts, hitting six of nine times.
Jeremy Guthrie was expected to anchor this Baltimore staff, but injuries and ineffectiveness have slowed down that process. The Orioles right-hander has lasted only 14.1 innings his last three starts, while allowing 11 earned runs. Guthrie left his last start against the Mariners with a viral infection after only two innings, then missed his final scheduled outing before the All-Star Break with the same ailment.
Guthrie has terrible career numbers against the Sox, allowing 16 earned runs in four starts, with the O's winning just one of those games. Unlike Buehrle, Guthrie's better numbers are during the day, compiling a 3-1 record and ERA of 2.89 under the sun.
The White Sox have nailed plenty of 'unders' at home when facing a right-handed pitcher, doing so in 22 of 28 games at U.S. Cellular Field, including 10 of 13 during the day.
LVSC has installed the White Sox as a $1.50 home favorite, while the total is set at 9.
