Wednesday's Afternoon Action
Most pundits thought the American League Central was the toughest division to predict at the beginning of the season and with less than a month to play, it appears we have a two-horse race. Detroit still holds a 3 ?-game lead over Minnesota but the two clubs still have to meet six times before the season ends. And right now the Twins are one of the hottest teams in the majors.
Ron Gardenhire?s club has gone 11-3 in the last 14 games and will look to sweep the White Sox at the Metrodome this afternoon. Last night, Minnesota escaped with a 4-3 triumph when Joe Morales hit a walkoff single in the ninth inning. The setback was the White Sox?s sixth straight at Minnesota and seventh of the season. Chicago has dropped eight of nine on its current 11-game road trek and it seems like the white flag is up, even though manager Ozzie Guillen has denied that notion. Chicago recently traded Jim Thome to the Dodgers and Jose Contreras to the Rockies on Monday.
The White Sox will have Mark Buehrle (11-7, 3.89 ERA) on the hill today, but unfortunately he hasn?t been good since his perfect game against the Rays on July 23. Since then, he?s 0-4 with a 5.77 ERA in seven starts, and that includes giving up five runs to the Twins five days after the monumental feat. He does own a 23-15 lifetime mark against Minnesota, but is just 0-2 at the Metrodome in 2009. The Twins own an amazing 16-9 (64%) record against southpaws at home this year, however only two of those wins were in the daytime.
Minnesota will lean to rookie Brian Duensing (2-1, 4.37 ERA), who is 2-0 as a starter this year. Duensing is coming off an impressive performance against the Rangers, where he pitched seven innings and give up three hits and one run.
After this game, the Twins have a favorable schedule on deck. The next 13 games are Cleveland (6), Toronto (4) and Oakland (3). Is it time to hop on the boat or get off?
Gamblers have four other games on tap this afternoon and while none of the matchups are worth attending or probably even watching, you can bet on them and that?s probably the reason you?re reading this.
Let?s break ?em down!
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati (12:35 p.m.) ? Break up the Reds! Cincinnati is another club finishing strong despite its position and gamblers have been catching great value. Dusty Baker?s squad will try to complete a four-game sweep against the Pirates on Thursday. Including last night?s win, Cincy has won eight of its last 10 and the two losses came to the NL?s best, Los Angeles. Homer Bailey (4-4, 6.04 ERA) will try to be the broom master today for the Reds, who are hoping he has a repeat performance of his last start when he tossed eight scoreless innings against the aforementioned Dodgers last Friday. He?s now won two in a row and his only daytime start this year produced a win. The Pirates? Zach Duke will try to cool off the Reds, but lately he hasn?t had any luck. The Bucs are 2-8 in his last 10 starts and the only two victories came when the team posted 10 and 12 runs. In the other eight, the team combined for 18. He does own a 3-3 record and 3.32 ERA in seven career starts against Cincinnati. Plus, the Reds are just 6-13 at home versus lefties this year.
Houston at Chicago (2:20 p.m.) ? Another NL Central battle on the diamond today happens from Wrigley Field, where the Cubs? Ted Lilly (9-8, 3.35 ERA) looks to stay hot at home against Houston. Chicago has won nine of his 10 starts at home this season and his ERA is an eye-opening 1.92. Did we mention that he owns a 6-1 career mark (2.84 ERA) against the Astros with three of the wins coming this year? Lilly is half the reason Chicago is a healthy favorite, the other half is Felipe Paulino (2-6, 6.96 ERA). He was just recalled from the minors in mid-August and his seen nothing but bullpen work in his return. In his last start on Aug. 4, Paulino gave up five runs and nine hits in 4 1-3 innings during an 8-1 loss to the Giants. The Cubs have seen him earlier in the year and they ripped him for four runs and five hits in less than an inning. Total players should note that the ?under? has gone 8-2 in Lilly?s 10 starts at Wrigley Field.
Kansas City at Oakland (3:35 p.m.) ? a great late-season trend on the Royals to me and it fits this afternoon. Kansas City is 1-13 in its last 14 games after it wins, with the last set of back-to-back victories coming on July 27-28. In case you don?t know, KC edged Oakland 4-3 last night and now faces the daunting task of winning again. Will they or won?t they? The A?s toss Trevor Cahill on the mound and he?s been nasty of late, giving up just four runs and 13 hits in the last 20 innings. The club is 3-0 during this stretch. He has been roughed at home (5-7) a tad and his afternoon record (2-4) is nothing to brag about either, but he has beaten the Royals in his only career start. KC hands the pill to Brian Bannister, who has been given up four runs or more in each of his last five. The Royals have dropped five in a row with him on the mound and eight of 10. Even though the ?under? cashed in Tuesday?s affair, the previous six encounters between the two teams went ?over? the number.
Washington at San Diego (3:35 p.m.) ? If you follow the Nationals this year, then you know how up and down the offense is. Right now, it?s down and near the bottom too. San Diego held Washington in check for the second straight night, claiming a 4-1 home victory. The Nats have scored nine runs in the last five games, which has resulted in a 0-5 record. The Padres still sit in the cellar of the NL West but the club has won six of eight and after last night?s win, and they secured their third straight series win too. John Lannan will try to help the team avoid the sweep this afternoon. It?s tough to label Lannan the as the Nats? ace, but he?s been the best on a club with just 46 wins. Unfortunately, he?s been tattooed on the road (3-8, 5.57 ERA) this season. The Padres are only 20-24 versus southpaws this year, yet they have gone 4-2 (67%) in home day games against lefties. San Diego will counter with Kevin Correia, who has helped the club to a 4-1 mark in his last five starts although he?s been helped with an average of 5 runs per game durig his run. Correia hasn?t fared well in afternoon games, evidenced by his 2-3 record and 4.93 ERA. The ?under? has gone 4-1 in the five battles between the Nats and Padres this year.
Most pundits thought the American League Central was the toughest division to predict at the beginning of the season and with less than a month to play, it appears we have a two-horse race. Detroit still holds a 3 ?-game lead over Minnesota but the two clubs still have to meet six times before the season ends. And right now the Twins are one of the hottest teams in the majors.
Ron Gardenhire?s club has gone 11-3 in the last 14 games and will look to sweep the White Sox at the Metrodome this afternoon. Last night, Minnesota escaped with a 4-3 triumph when Joe Morales hit a walkoff single in the ninth inning. The setback was the White Sox?s sixth straight at Minnesota and seventh of the season. Chicago has dropped eight of nine on its current 11-game road trek and it seems like the white flag is up, even though manager Ozzie Guillen has denied that notion. Chicago recently traded Jim Thome to the Dodgers and Jose Contreras to the Rockies on Monday.
The White Sox will have Mark Buehrle (11-7, 3.89 ERA) on the hill today, but unfortunately he hasn?t been good since his perfect game against the Rays on July 23. Since then, he?s 0-4 with a 5.77 ERA in seven starts, and that includes giving up five runs to the Twins five days after the monumental feat. He does own a 23-15 lifetime mark against Minnesota, but is just 0-2 at the Metrodome in 2009. The Twins own an amazing 16-9 (64%) record against southpaws at home this year, however only two of those wins were in the daytime.
Minnesota will lean to rookie Brian Duensing (2-1, 4.37 ERA), who is 2-0 as a starter this year. Duensing is coming off an impressive performance against the Rangers, where he pitched seven innings and give up three hits and one run.
After this game, the Twins have a favorable schedule on deck. The next 13 games are Cleveland (6), Toronto (4) and Oakland (3). Is it time to hop on the boat or get off?
Gamblers have four other games on tap this afternoon and while none of the matchups are worth attending or probably even watching, you can bet on them and that?s probably the reason you?re reading this.
Let?s break ?em down!
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati (12:35 p.m.) ? Break up the Reds! Cincinnati is another club finishing strong despite its position and gamblers have been catching great value. Dusty Baker?s squad will try to complete a four-game sweep against the Pirates on Thursday. Including last night?s win, Cincy has won eight of its last 10 and the two losses came to the NL?s best, Los Angeles. Homer Bailey (4-4, 6.04 ERA) will try to be the broom master today for the Reds, who are hoping he has a repeat performance of his last start when he tossed eight scoreless innings against the aforementioned Dodgers last Friday. He?s now won two in a row and his only daytime start this year produced a win. The Pirates? Zach Duke will try to cool off the Reds, but lately he hasn?t had any luck. The Bucs are 2-8 in his last 10 starts and the only two victories came when the team posted 10 and 12 runs. In the other eight, the team combined for 18. He does own a 3-3 record and 3.32 ERA in seven career starts against Cincinnati. Plus, the Reds are just 6-13 at home versus lefties this year.
Houston at Chicago (2:20 p.m.) ? Another NL Central battle on the diamond today happens from Wrigley Field, where the Cubs? Ted Lilly (9-8, 3.35 ERA) looks to stay hot at home against Houston. Chicago has won nine of his 10 starts at home this season and his ERA is an eye-opening 1.92. Did we mention that he owns a 6-1 career mark (2.84 ERA) against the Astros with three of the wins coming this year? Lilly is half the reason Chicago is a healthy favorite, the other half is Felipe Paulino (2-6, 6.96 ERA). He was just recalled from the minors in mid-August and his seen nothing but bullpen work in his return. In his last start on Aug. 4, Paulino gave up five runs and nine hits in 4 1-3 innings during an 8-1 loss to the Giants. The Cubs have seen him earlier in the year and they ripped him for four runs and five hits in less than an inning. Total players should note that the ?under? has gone 8-2 in Lilly?s 10 starts at Wrigley Field.
Kansas City at Oakland (3:35 p.m.) ? a great late-season trend on the Royals to me and it fits this afternoon. Kansas City is 1-13 in its last 14 games after it wins, with the last set of back-to-back victories coming on July 27-28. In case you don?t know, KC edged Oakland 4-3 last night and now faces the daunting task of winning again. Will they or won?t they? The A?s toss Trevor Cahill on the mound and he?s been nasty of late, giving up just four runs and 13 hits in the last 20 innings. The club is 3-0 during this stretch. He has been roughed at home (5-7) a tad and his afternoon record (2-4) is nothing to brag about either, but he has beaten the Royals in his only career start. KC hands the pill to Brian Bannister, who has been given up four runs or more in each of his last five. The Royals have dropped five in a row with him on the mound and eight of 10. Even though the ?under? cashed in Tuesday?s affair, the previous six encounters between the two teams went ?over? the number.
Washington at San Diego (3:35 p.m.) ? If you follow the Nationals this year, then you know how up and down the offense is. Right now, it?s down and near the bottom too. San Diego held Washington in check for the second straight night, claiming a 4-1 home victory. The Nats have scored nine runs in the last five games, which has resulted in a 0-5 record. The Padres still sit in the cellar of the NL West but the club has won six of eight and after last night?s win, and they secured their third straight series win too. John Lannan will try to help the team avoid the sweep this afternoon. It?s tough to label Lannan the as the Nats? ace, but he?s been the best on a club with just 46 wins. Unfortunately, he?s been tattooed on the road (3-8, 5.57 ERA) this season. The Padres are only 20-24 versus southpaws this year, yet they have gone 4-2 (67%) in home day games against lefties. San Diego will counter with Kevin Correia, who has helped the club to a 4-1 mark in his last five starts although he?s been helped with an average of 5 runs per game durig his run. Correia hasn?t fared well in afternoon games, evidenced by his 2-3 record and 4.93 ERA. The ?under? has gone 4-1 in the five battles between the Nats and Padres this year.
