Chris Jordan
There isn't a team in the bigs that deserves to play in Houston in the summer.
Last I checked, it's the second-most humid city in the country, behind St. Charles, Louisiana. That may have changed, I don't know. And I don't really care. Far as I'm concerned - it's humid AF!!!
And since Arizona Diamondbacks couldn't handle the Astros at Chase Field in Phoenix, I don't know how they plan on challenging Houston at home, while it's riding a four-game qwin streak.
After Tuesday's 8-5 victory in Arizona, the Astros are back in Houston for this home-and-home Interleague gig after closing out May winning seven of eight to close.
The offense is the biggest culprit, as it's produced eight runs in each of the last three games while batting .331.
The Diamondbacks, meanwhile, have lost six of eight and head to Houston with a three-game road losing streak. During that eight-game skid, Arizona's starting staff has registered a horrendous 9.30 ERA.
It won't matter who goes, the Astros will roll big.
5* ASTROS -1.5
BUSTER SPORTS
San Jose at Pittsburgh
Play: San Jose +113
In the first game of the final, Pittsburgh scored a late goal to get the win 3-2. So the Penguins are going to try and hold serve in today's second game. The feeling here is that the Sharks are ready to rebound in Game 2. In that first game the Sharks came out very tentative. They were obviously feeling the nerves of being in the franchise's first Stanley Cup Final. It basically cost them Game 1 as they were behind 2-0 after the first period. Even though they played way better hockey the rest of the game and could have easily won Game One, it wasn't meant to be for the Sharks. The Sharks are going into Game 2 knowing that it might be as big as a Game 7 for the franchise. The reason is that the Sharks are 0-10 all-time in a playoff series when dropping the first two games. This I guarantee will be pinned on the board in the Sharks dressing room for Game 2. This will give the Sharks that extra motivation to come out strong right from the opening whistle. The Penguins are no doubt one of the fastest teams in the league and it did show in Game 1. Look for San Jose to combat that speed with some extra speed of their own tonight as they get Matt Nieto back from injury. Nieto will most likely play on the third line and is a relentless forechecker. He will give the Sharks that extra lift needed to win tonight. Some facts backing our selection is that San Jose is 5-1 after a playoff loss and the Sharks are 17-5 in their last 22 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
THE PREZ
Pittsburgh Pirates at Miami Marlins
Play: Pittsburgh Pirates -105
The game didn't catch a large amount of pre-game mention from MLB Live or ESPN on Tuesday afternoon and early evening but for long-time Major League Baseball fans the pitching matchup last night at Marlins Park should have been the game of the day for MLB Network. The two starting pitchers were the poop in the 2011 Draft, and both put on a performance Tuesday night in South Beach with Marlins Jose Fernandez defeating Pirates’ Gerrit Cole.
Pirates
There are some that are beginning to realize that the Pittsburgh offense has carried the team in the first two months of the 2016 season. After registering 14 hits in a 10-0 win on Monday the Bucs couldn’t bunch hits together against Fernandez on Tuesday.
Niese is riding a positive baseball wave and heads into tonight’s matchup against the Marlins off of four straight quality starts. The Bucs lefty has surrendered a total of two runs in his last two trips to the hill and was able to quiet the first place AL West Texas Rangers in his last outing to one run and seven hits in six innings in Arlington last Friday. Niese knows the current Miami lineup from his time with the New York Mets and while he is just 6-5 with a 4.18 ERA in 18 career starts against the Marlins, those numbers are better than they read.
Niese has an above average K:BB ratio and carries a 50-plus percent groundball rate into tonight’s National League event. It isn’t a stretch to give credit to the proper party for Neise’s improved command and velocity, give that credit to the Searage Effect, which is without doubt the primary reason for an upswing in Neise’s peripherals this season. The Bucs lefty has increased his velocity nearly two miles per hour already while throwing more cutters this season than he has at any point in his big league career.
Marlins
The Marlins have struggled to put to big offensive performances together and while they have had much more success against left-handed starters this season tonight’s event likely won’t produce many crooked innings for the Fish. Miami is just 11-14 at home and play their next five (two more against the Pirates and a set versus the NY Mets) against tough opposition. Like the Bucs, the Marlins have been at their best against lefties in the first two months of this year’s campaign.
Miami sends a southpaw to the mound tonight, Adam Conley, who is coming off a no-decision against the Braves and a loss against the Nationals in his last two starts. Conley allowed six runs on seven hits and seven walks on May 22 vs. the Nats and was charged with two runs on eight hits and one walk over 4 1/3 innings at Turner Field versus Atlanta this past Conley has found very little success in South Beach this season going 1-3 with a 5.91 ERA in four home starts.
Conley has shown very little of his former prospect status and while he does have three of Atlanta's 15 wins this season he has defeated Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Arizona. He's struggled with his command in most difficult tests with two four-walk and one seven-walk outings to his credit. For the year, Conley’s 9.4 K/9 remains backable if it were not for his 4.0 BB/9 and after a down 2014 season followed by an improved 2015, his primary Achilles remains, having an out pitch and trusting his stuff. In a nutshell the lefty has and likely always will be inconsistent.
Vegas Butcher
Texas Rangers -113
Hamels is coming off a poor start so I’d expect a bounce-back here. He’s facing an Indians lineup that ranks only 20th offensively against lefties and bottom-5 against them in Iso. One issue for Hamels has been the propensity to give up the long-ball, as he’s allowed 12 HR’S already. His 27% HR/FB rate is way out of whack, considering his career rate is 11%. With Indians unable to hit lefties hard, I like this matchup for Hamels. Opposite him is Bauer, a guy with ‘potential’ but poor overall results. Bauer’s 4.4 SIERA ranks 104th and is much worse than Hamels’ 3.6 (#27) mark. In addition, he also allows HR’s at a poor rate while having a K-rate significantly lower than Hamels’ (18% vs 25%). Texas has a better start on the mound in this matchup and I like Rangers’ chances in this one.
Los Angeles Angels -117
In his last 2 starts, Shoemaker went 15.2 innings while registering 23 K’s, 0 BB’s, and only 2 runs allowed. The guy has been virtually unhittable during this stretch. The fact that he’s done it against HOU and BAL makes it that much more impressive. Now he’ll face another strong lineup, though it’s a team he’s dominated in the past, sporting a 0.5 ERA in 19.2 innings of work against the Tigers in the recent past. Shoemaker is going up against a young righty Fulmer. Overall, Fulmer has looked good this year but he’s struggled against top-10 offenses against righties (10 runs in 9.1 innings against BAL/CLE) and has done well against teams outside the top-10 (6 runs in 24.1 innings against OAK/TB/WAS/MIN). Angels rank 10th offensively against right-handers and they’ve been hitting the ball well lately. Pitching on the road for the 6th time in his first 7 MLB starts won’t be easy, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Fulmer struggle here.
Tampa Bay Rays +106
The Rays rank 2nd offensively against lefties, and going up against Duffy, who allowed 5 ER’s to the White Sox in his last start, I’d expect to see them be successful here. Opposite him is Archer, who has really been struggling this year. Archer of course will face a Royals lineup without Perez, Moustakas, and Gordon. To make matters worse, Gordon’s replacement rookie Brett Eibner has an ankle injury and wont’ suit up today. The kid is hitting 0.462/0.500/0.692 in his first 4 MLB games. Rays’ offensive advantage should be pretty significant in this one, and as long as Archer doesn’t implode, I love their chances tonight.
Greg Shaker
Tigers / Angels Over 8
oth of these starters may have looked pretty good lately but both are time bombs and simply not as good as their numbers lately might indicate. Both Pens threw a lot of pitches last night and both have worked often lately. Last 10 Played the Tigers second line pitchers have an ERA of 8.76, the Angels 6.09. Both teams also in their best hitting posture. Easy Choice here at the 8 and right now great Vig on this one.
Bruce Marshall
Tigers / Angels Under 8
The Angels have had the Tigers' number lately in games at the Big A, where the Halos have won 11 of the last 12 meetings. But before completing a sweep of this midweek set, the Angels must overcome hot Detroit starter Michael Fulmer, whose last two starts have been eye-opening, allowing just one run and seven hits over 14 2/3 IP with 14 Ks. Matt Shoemaker also pitching well lately for the Halos, and the late afternoon start and shadows should keep the score down in Anaheim.