Trend sheet 7/20

[cisco]

Hot Pitchers
-- Phillies won first two Lopez starts (1-0, 3.18).
-- Pirates won last three Ohlendorf home starts (2-0, 1.35).
-- Lilly is 2-0, 1.88 in his last couple starts.
-- Hanson is 4-0, 1.75 in his last six starts.
-- Moehler is 4-1, 3.79 in his last six starts.
-- de la Rosa is 4-0, 3.12 in his last four starts.
-- Stauffer gave up two runs in seven IP in his first '09 start.

-- Floyd is 4-1, 3.25 in his last eight starts.
-- Angels are 4-0 in O'Sullivan starts (2-0, 3.80).
-- Blackburn is 6-2, 2.64 in his last dozen starts.


Cold Pitchers
-- LHernandez is 0-4, 7.56 in his last six starts, but is 2-0, 0.56 in two starts against the Nationals this season. Martin was 8-3, 2.66 in his 16 starts at AAA Syracuse this season.
-- Burns has a 6.55 RA in four starts this season.
-- Sanchez is 1-4, 5.51 in his last six starts, but threw a no-hitter in his last outing.
-- Davis is 1-3, 4.17 in his last seven starts. Lohse is 1-5, 6.61 in his last seven starts.
-- Van den Hurk is 4-1, 2.77 in nine AAA starts; he's made 21 starts in big leagues, with a record of 5-7, 6.96.
-- Owings has a 6.35 RA in his last four starts. Schmidt was 2-0, 4.19 in five rehab starts in AAA; his career MLB record is 128-94 in 310 career starts, but this is his first start since 2007.

-- DHernandez is 1-2, 4.94 in his last four starts. Pettitte is 1-2, 8.57 in his last four starts.
-- Smoltz is 1-2, 5.40 in four starts this season. Millwood is 0-2, 8.83 in his last three starts.
-- Price is 0-2, 8.31 in his four road starts.
-- Ponson is 1-4, 5.91 in six starts this season.
-- GGonzalez is 1-2, 6.75 in three starts this season.

Hot Teams.
-- Cubs won six of their last seven games. Phillies won 12 of last 13.
-- Braves won seven of their last eight home games.
-- Cardinals won 10 of their last 15 games. Astros won eight of their last twelve games.
-- Rockies are 30-10 in their last 40 games.
-- Dodgers won nine of their last fourteen games.

-- Red Sox won six of their last nine games, but lost last two.
-- Bronx Bombers won eight of last ten home games.
-- Twins won seven of their last ten road games.
-- White Sox won eight of their last eleven home games. Rays won seven of their last nine games.
-- Angels won ten of their last fourteen games.

Cold Teams
-- Nationals lost eleven of their last twelve games.
-- Pirates lost nine of their last 12 games.
-- Giants lost four of their last five road games.
-- Reds lost eight of their last 12 games. Brewers lost 10 of last 15.
-- Mets lost ten of their last thirteen road games.
-- Diamondbacks lost three of their last four games.
-- Padres lost thirteen of their last sixteen games. Marlins lost their last three games, scoring five runs.


-- Rangers lost four of their last five games.
-- Orioles lost nine of their last thirteen road games.
-- Royals lost 12 of their last 15 home games.
-- Oakland lost nine of its last twelve home games.


Totals
-- Under is 6-3-1 in last ten LHernandez starts.
-- Ten of last eleven games at PNC Park stayed under the total.
-- Ten of last fourteen Philly games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 9-3-1 in Atlanta's last thirteen games.
-- Under is 4-1-2 in Moehler's last seven home starts.
-- 11 of last 12 Arizona road games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last eight games at Petco Park went over the total.
-- Nine of last eleven games at Dodger Stadium stayed under the total.

-- Under is 3-1-1 in DHernandez' first five big league starts.
-- Eight of last ten Boston games stayed under the total.
-- Seven of last nine White Sox games went over the total.
-- Under is 7-2-1 in Royals' last ten home games.
-- Last nine Minnesota road games stayed under the total.

 

[cisco]

Trend Report

7:05 PM
BALTIMORE vs. NY YANKEES
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Baltimore's last 7 games
Baltimore is 1-6 SU in their last 7 games when playing NY Yankees
NY Yankees are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Baltimore
NY Yankees are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games when playing Baltimore

7:05 PM
CHI CUBS vs. PHILADELPHIA
Chi Cubs are 2-6 SU in their last 8 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Chi Cubs's last 19 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 6-2 SU in their last 8 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Philadelphia's last 19 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs

7:05 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. PITTSBURGH
Milwaukee is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Milwaukee's last 10 games
Pittsburgh is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games when playing Milwaukee

7:05 PM
NY METS vs. WASHINGTON
NY Mets are 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of NY Mets's last 7 games when playing Washington
Washington is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Washington's last 9 games

7:10 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. ATLANTA
San Francisco is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Francisco's last 5 games on the road
Atlanta is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Atlanta's last 13 games

8:00 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. HOUSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of St. Louis's last 19 games when playing Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of St. Louis's last 7 games on the road
Houston is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games

8:05 PM
BOSTON vs. TEXAS
Boston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 6 games
Texas is 3-11 SU in its last 14 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Texas's last 7 games when playing Boston

8:10 PM
LA ANGELS vs. KANSAS CITY
LA Angels are 17-5 SU in their last 22 games when playing on the road against Kansas City
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of LA Angels's last 11 games when playing on the road against Kansas City
Kansas City is 1-6 SU in their last 7 games when playing LA Angels
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Kansas City's last 9 games when playing LA Angels

8:11 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Tampa Bay is 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing Chi White Sox
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Tampa Bay's last 23 games when playing Chi White Sox
Chi White Sox are 6-2 SU in their last 8 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chi White Sox's last 6 games at home

8:40 PM
ARIZONA vs. COLORADO
Arizona is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Colorado
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Arizona's last 7 games when playing on the road against Colorado
Colorado is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games when playing Arizona
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Colorado's last 6 games when playing Arizona

10:05 PM
FLORIDA vs. SAN DIEGO
Florida is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Florida is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing San Diego
San Diego is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Florida
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Diego's last 6 games when playing Florida

10:05 PM
MINNESOTA vs. OAKLAND
Minnesota is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Minnesota's last 18 games
Oakland is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Oakland's last 6 games

10:10 PM
CINCINNATI vs. LA DODGERS
Cincinnati is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cincinnati's last 6 games on the road
LA Dodgers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing Cincinnati
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 5 games when playing Cincinnati

 

[cisco]

Monday's Tip Sheet
By Brian Edwards

Gamblers have a stacked MLB card Monday with each game being played under the lights. The Cubs have come out hot after the All-Star break, but they?ll face an equally hot squad in the City of Brotherly Love. The Dodgers maintain a 7 ?-game advantage in the NL West as they get set to host the Reds in a three-game set.

In the AL, Boston?s John Smoltz will take aim at Texas in search of his second win of the season. With the Red Sox slumping, the Yankees might be able to pull into a first-place tie in the AL East if they can beat Baltimore and Texas can knock off Terry Francona?s squad.

**Cubs at Phillies**

--Philadelphia (51-38, +678) is beginning to create some distance between itself and the rest of the pack in the National League East. The Phillies won their eighth straight game when they knocked off Florida 5-0 Sunday in South Florida. Since getting swept at Atlanta June 30-July 2, Charlie Manuel?s team has won 12 of 13 games.

--Chicago (47-43, -531) got off to the start it wanted after the All-Star break, sweeping four games from the Nationals in Washington. The Cubs pounded the Nats by an 11-3 count Sunday, easily cashing tickets as inexpensive minus-118 favorites. The victory pulled them to within two games of the Cardinals for the lead in the NL Central.

--Ted Lilly (9-6, 3.18 ERA) will toe the slab for the Cubs, who are 20-25 on the road. Lilly has a 1-3 record and 4.88 ERA in four career starts against the Phillies. The veteran southpaw is 2-1 with a 2.11 ERA in his last three outings. For the season, Lilly hasn?t been as effective on the road, posting a 3-5 record and 4.66 ERA in nine starts.

--Philadelphia RHP Rodrigo Lopez (1-0, 3.18) will get the starting nod before most likely going to the bullpen or back to the minors when Pedro Martinez is activated. Lopez has been solid in a pair of starts in his first big-league action since 2007. The Phillies have prevailed in both of his previous outings.

--Philadelphia owns lefties this year, compiling a 21-11 record versus southpaws.

--After sweeping the Marlins, the Phillies now own a seven-game lead over the second-place club in the NL East.

--The ?under? has been a steady money maker for the Cubs, cashing at a 49-38 overall clip and a 25-17 pace in their road games.

--The ?under? is 44-40 overall for the Phillies, 26-17 in their home games. The ?under? is on a 10-4 run in Philadelphia?s last 14 outings.

--ESPN will provide television coverage at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

**Red Sox at Rangers**

--Boston couldn?t handle Toronto?s Roy Halladay on Sunday, dropping a 3-1 decision to the Blue Jays. The Red Sox are just one game ahead of the Yankees for the AL East.

--Boston RHP John Smoltz (1-2, 5.40) will make his fifth start for his new team in this spot. He?ll oppose his old teammate with the Braves in Texas RHP Kevin Millwood.

--Smoltz has only pitched four career innings against Texas, holding the Rangers scoreless while scattering two hits and fanning six batters. The future Hall of Famer, who is the only pitcher in MLB history with at least 200 wins and 150 saves, is off his best outing of the year. Smoltz gave up just one earned run in five innings and he fanned seven batters en route to his first win with the Red Sox.

--Millwood (8-7, 3.46) is enjoying one of his best seasons in years, but he has been shelled his last several times out. The veteran right-hander is 0-2 with an 8.83 ERA in his last three starts. Millwood is 5-4 with a 4.07 lifetime ERA against Boston. He worked seven scoreless innings for a victory against the Red Sox earlier this season.

--Boston slugger David Ortiz is 8-for-22 (.364) against Millwood with three homers. Jason Varitek is 11-for-27 (.407) off the right-hander with four doubles, while Kevin Youklis is 6-for-12 (.500) against Millwood with one double.

--Boston is 24-22 in its road games, while Texas took a 28-19 home ledger into Sunday's series finale vs. Minnesota.

--The ?under? is an MLB-best 54-33 overall for the Rangers, 29-16 in their home games.

--The ?under? is 47-36 overall for the Red Sox, 22-20 in their road assignments.

**Reds at Dodgers**

--Most books are listing Los Angeles (58-34, +1830) as a minus-160 ?chalk? with a total of nine ?over? (minus-115).

--Joe Torre?s team kept a 7 ?-game lead over second-place San Francisco in the NL West by virtue of Sunday?s 4-3 home win over Houston. Matt Kemp hit the go-ahead homer to untie the game in the eighth inning. Brad Ausmus added a pair of RBI doubles for L.A. against his former team.

--Cincinnati (44-47, +28) captured a 5-3 win Sunday over Milwaukee in their series finale. Jonny Gomes slammed a two-run homer in the eighth that proved to be the game winner for the Reds.

--Micah Owings (6-9, 4.94) will take his turn in the rotation for the Reds. The right-hander is 1-1 with a 3.50 ERA in three career starts against the Dodgers.

--L.A. will counter Owings with Jason Schmidt, who will make his season debut after sitting out more than two seasons (last start: 7/16/07) with shoulder problems. The three-time All-Star has posted a 3-1 record and 3.65 ERA in eight rehab starts in the minors. Schmidt, who has only made six starts since signing a three-year $47 million deal, has a 4-2 record and 5.27 lifetime ERA against the Reds.

--Cincinnati owns a 22-25 record on the road. On the flip side, L.A. is 30-15 at home.

--The ?over? is 45-43 overall for the Dodgers, but they have watched the ?under? hit at a 24-19 clip in their home games.

--The ?under? is 50-37 overall for Cincinnati, 29-17 in its home outings.

**B.E.?s Bonus Nuggets**

--New York LHP Andy Pettitte has enjoyed success galore against Baltimore. The veteran southpaw is 25-6 with a 3.73 career ERA against the Orioles.

--Kansas City RHP Sidney Ponson owns a 7-2 record and 4.30 lifetime ERA against Monday?s opponent, the L.A. Angels.

--Atlanta RHP Tommy Hanson (4-0, 2.85) continues to live up to his considerable hype during his rookie campaign. The hard-throwing righty will face the Giants for the first time Monday night. Hanson?s counterpart in the series opener will be San Francisco LHP Jonathan Sanchez, who will take the mound for the first time since throwing a no-hitter.

--Atlanta RHP Tim Hudson threw two innings and 27 pitches in his first rehab start in Class A on Sunday. Most importantly, Hudson was pain free. The 34-year-old hurler had Tommy John Surgery on Aug. 8 of last year.

 

[cisco]

Monday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers
By Covers.com

Streaking

Rodrigo Lopez (Philadelphia Phillies)

How long Lopez remains in the rotation may depend on two factors: When Pedro Martinez says he is ready to pitch, and how well Lopez continues to pitch.

The right-hander missed all of last season following Tommy John surgery in 2007 and began this year in the minors. But in both his starts this month, Lopez has pitched effectively, limiting baserunners and keeping the ball inside Citizens Bank Park.

Last week, the Phillies signed Martinez, who could bump Lopez from the rotation. Lopez, who left his last start with an achy shoulder, would have two or three starts before Martinez is expected to be ready.

"Whatever happens, I think it's something I can't control," Lopez told the team's website. "But trying to pitch good and being healthy, that's the thing I can control."

Sean O'Sullivan (Los Angeles Angels)

The rookie right-hander has a brief body of work since being called up from the minor leagues earlier this year. But he hasn't lost yet and neither have the Angels when he takes the mound.

The team has won all four starts made by the 21-year-old O'Sullivan, who has picked up two wins and worked at least five innings each outing. He has helped stabilize a rotation hit hard by injuries this season.

O'Sullivan has also received 28 runs of support, although, he has not needed nearly that much. He worked as a favorite for the first time in his last start.

Returning

Jason Schmidt (Los Angeles Dodgers)

There are comebacks, and then there are comebacks like the one Schmidt is making. Schmidt hasn't pitched in the majors since June 16, 2007. He has been out of baseball for so long that baseball-reference.com has a mention of his "final game" on his career stats page.

The 36-year-old right-hander was a three-time All-Star and twice finished in the top five in NL Cy Young voting in five-plus seasons in San Francisco, going 78-37. He signed with the Dodgers after the 2006 season but made just six starts before needing right shoulder surgery for a torn labrum and frayed biceps tendon.

In five starts at Triple-A Albuquerque this year, Schmidt was 2-0 with a 3.94 ERA.

"Velocity-wise, we all know he's not what he once was," Dodgers manager Joe Torre told the Los Angeles Times. "His experience in knowing how to pitch is something that he's going to have really rely on."

Slumping

Gil Meche (Kansas City Royals)

A month ago, Meche was riding a streak of 16 scoreless innings. In his next start, he was pounded for nine runs while getting just 10 outs and has been in a freefall ever since.

The Royals are 1-4 in the last five games started by Meche, who during that span has a staggering WHIP of 2.07 (31 hits, 18 walks, 23 2-3 IP).

Even more alarming is the nine homers Meche has given up in that stretch. He allowed just two in his first 14 starts.

Kyle Lohse (St. Louis Cardinals)

You can't spell Lohse without l-o-s-e.

The Cardinals are 1-6 in the last seven starts by the right-hander, who spent more than a month on the disabled list with a forearm injury before returning July 12. The lone win in that stretch was over punchless Kansas City nearly two months ago.

Lohse has also been prone to the long ball. He gave up one homer in 32 innings in April but has allowed seven in his last 29 1-3 innings. The total has gone over in five of his last six starts.