"BEST BET!"....Take Arizona over Chicago! We don't just say this cause the Big Unit is on the hill for Arizona, we've got solid info to back this up! D-Back starter Randy Johnson has been sparkling over his last 3 appearances going 24 innings, allowing only 9 hits, 8 bases on balls, 3 earned runs, and 1 homer while fanning 43 batters! Over his last 2 games, he has a 1.06 ERA and has only allowed a .127 batting average to opposing hitters. He has only allowed 1-3-3-2 runs in his 4 road starts this season. Want more? He's 7-0 lifetime vs. Chicago while allowing only 42 hits in 61 career innings against them, has only allowed left handed batters 3 hits in 26 at bats this season, has only allowed 44 hits in 214 at bats to right handed hitters (.206), and allows only a .193 average with runners on. In 68.2 innings this season Johnson has only allowed 47 hits and 19 bases on balls while fanning 104! On average, he's allowed less than one baserunner per inning! The Cubs haven't faired well against him in the past...Coomer, Girardi, Gutierrez, Hundley, Sosa, and Young are a combined 14-78 (.179) against Johnson. The Diamondbacks hit Chicago starter Lieber well too...Durazo 5-8, Finley 13-35, Gonzalez 12-31, Miller 2-5 (might be out tonight), M.Williams 7-20, and Womack 2-4 are a combined 41-103 (.398) vs. Lieber with 6 homers. Hot hitters over the last 10 days for Arizona include: Bell .310, Gonzalez .406, Sanders .303, and Womack .357...It doesn't hurt that most of the recent hot hitters are the table setters in the lineup. Arizona has a team hits righties .271, are .272 away, hit .275 with runners on, have a 3.66 road ERA, have a 2.98 team ERA in May, and allow opposing teams a .228 batting average when their on the road! Arizona have won their last 4 road games holding opponents to 6 runs during that stretch! Nasty!
The Cubs send Jon Lieber to the mound. Lieber is 0-4 vs. Arizona with a 9.15 career ERA against them. Over his last 2 starts he's allowed 22 hits/walks and 9 earned runs over just 11.1 innings. Very unLieberesque type numbers. The Cubs have only hit .249 in May and have a 5.55 team ERA in May. The Cubs have been struggling to score recently only putting up 20 runs in their last 7 games for an average of less than 3 runs per game! They have also only managed to put up 14 run in their last 4 home games. More recently, the Cubs have only put up 2 runs in each of their last 2 games. What a nice time for the hot "Unit" to face them and bring us some bacon! Cold Chicago hitters over the last 10 games include: Buford .125, Gutierrez .154, Hundley .158, Sosa .242, White .212, and Young .200...B.Mueller is out with a broken knee cap which is a plus, because he is one of the Cub hitters than would be able to hit the Unit. We also like the fact that Chicago will most likely load their lineup with right handed hitters and Wrigley field has only yielded a .256 average to right handed batters since 1991. Take Arizona to beat up on the Cubs today!
TOP PLAY!!!...Take Milwaukee to beat Pittsburgh! Milwaukee sends one of the hottest young pitchers in the league to the hill to take on a struggling Pittsburgh team. Rookie hurler Sheets has been fabulous this season including allowing only a 1.29 ERA in his last two outings including allowing opposing hitters to a .188 average. We also like that the bullpen has only surrendered 2 earned runs in their last 30.2 innings pitched while allowing only 24 hits during that span. Milwaukee hits left handers well at a .283 clip and Pittsburgh's starter Anderson is a very hittable southpaw. The Brewers are 5-1 in their last 6 games and are capable of winning on the road. Hot Brewer hitters over the last 10 days include: Casanova .471, Hernandez .333, and Houston .387...Positive past history vs. Pitt. starter Anderson include: Burnitz 3-5, Hernandez 4-7, Mouton 2-4, and Sexson 2-5 for a total of 11-21 with 3 homers! Brewer starter Sheets has faced Pitt. once already this season and only allowed 3 hits in 18 at bats. Pitt. starter Anderson has a 5.59 career ERA vs. MIL in 19.1 innings pitched. We've seen Anderson pitch and his current numbers are not indicative of the kind of pitcher he is. He's much worse! Pitt. has hit .228 overall this season, .232 vs. Rhp, .242 at home, .241 with runners on, .219 in May, .217 in night games, .212 from the 7th inning on, the starters have a 5.29 ERA, have a team home ERA of 5.27, and have a 5.83 ERA in May. Opponents hit .298 vs Pitt lefties and hit .272 at Pitts home ballpark. Cold Pirate hitters over the last 10 days include: Bell .200, Brown .222, Kendall .225, Meares .185, Vanderwal .194, Wilson .091, and Young .161! Take the Brewers as a small favorite over the Pirates! Good luck!
[This message has been edited by Kevin (edited 05-18-2001).]
The Cubs send Jon Lieber to the mound. Lieber is 0-4 vs. Arizona with a 9.15 career ERA against them. Over his last 2 starts he's allowed 22 hits/walks and 9 earned runs over just 11.1 innings. Very unLieberesque type numbers. The Cubs have only hit .249 in May and have a 5.55 team ERA in May. The Cubs have been struggling to score recently only putting up 20 runs in their last 7 games for an average of less than 3 runs per game! They have also only managed to put up 14 run in their last 4 home games. More recently, the Cubs have only put up 2 runs in each of their last 2 games. What a nice time for the hot "Unit" to face them and bring us some bacon! Cold Chicago hitters over the last 10 games include: Buford .125, Gutierrez .154, Hundley .158, Sosa .242, White .212, and Young .200...B.Mueller is out with a broken knee cap which is a plus, because he is one of the Cub hitters than would be able to hit the Unit. We also like the fact that Chicago will most likely load their lineup with right handed hitters and Wrigley field has only yielded a .256 average to right handed batters since 1991. Take Arizona to beat up on the Cubs today!
TOP PLAY!!!...Take Milwaukee to beat Pittsburgh! Milwaukee sends one of the hottest young pitchers in the league to the hill to take on a struggling Pittsburgh team. Rookie hurler Sheets has been fabulous this season including allowing only a 1.29 ERA in his last two outings including allowing opposing hitters to a .188 average. We also like that the bullpen has only surrendered 2 earned runs in their last 30.2 innings pitched while allowing only 24 hits during that span. Milwaukee hits left handers well at a .283 clip and Pittsburgh's starter Anderson is a very hittable southpaw. The Brewers are 5-1 in their last 6 games and are capable of winning on the road. Hot Brewer hitters over the last 10 days include: Casanova .471, Hernandez .333, and Houston .387...Positive past history vs. Pitt. starter Anderson include: Burnitz 3-5, Hernandez 4-7, Mouton 2-4, and Sexson 2-5 for a total of 11-21 with 3 homers! Brewer starter Sheets has faced Pitt. once already this season and only allowed 3 hits in 18 at bats. Pitt. starter Anderson has a 5.59 career ERA vs. MIL in 19.1 innings pitched. We've seen Anderson pitch and his current numbers are not indicative of the kind of pitcher he is. He's much worse! Pitt. has hit .228 overall this season, .232 vs. Rhp, .242 at home, .241 with runners on, .219 in May, .217 in night games, .212 from the 7th inning on, the starters have a 5.29 ERA, have a team home ERA of 5.27, and have a 5.83 ERA in May. Opponents hit .298 vs Pitt lefties and hit .272 at Pitts home ballpark. Cold Pirate hitters over the last 10 days include: Bell .200, Brown .222, Kendall .225, Meares .185, Vanderwal .194, Wilson .091, and Young .161! Take the Brewers as a small favorite over the Pirates! Good luck!
[This message has been edited by Kevin (edited 05-18-2001).]
