Sunday Night Baseball: Tigers at Rangers
By Steve Merril
By Covers.com
Detroit Tigers at Texas Rangers (-115, 9)
FISTING FOR VICTORIES
Doug Fister has been stellar for the Tigers, going 5-1 with a 3.06 ERA on the year. He'll face a Texas team that hit him up for nine runs over 4 1/3 innings in their only meeting last year. The righty has made four road starts this season and he's 1-1 in those games. He got shelled in Washington in the shortest start of his career giving up five runs and eight hits in three innings. Fister has benefited from seeing Houston in two of his last three starts, snagging a victory at home and a no-decision on the road.
HOLLAND TUNNEL IN TEXAS
Derek Holland is 3-2 with a 2.93 ERA this season. He has pitched well in May going 2-0 with a 2.18 ERA. The southpaw hasn't had many problems pitching at home this year, going 1-1 with a 1.57 ERA in three starts there. Holland has shown incredible control walking just three batters in his last four starts. Last year he picked up a no-decision against the Tigers after giving up one run and three hits while striking out nine in a 2-1 Rangers victory.
INJURY REPORT
The Tigers are almost completely healthy as a team. They are without Austin Jackson, who is on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring and Octavio Dotel, who is dealing with right elbow inflammation. The list is a bit longer for the Rangers. Their lineup is relatively intact as AJ Pierzynski is dealing with a strained right oblique muscle. He will return hopefully on Tuesday for their game against the Athletics. The Texas pitching staff is a different story. Matt Harrison, Alexi Ogando, Colby Lewis and Neftali Feliz are all out of the rotation while Joakim Soria has not pitched yet out of the team's bullpen. Those pitchers are expected to be back at varying times between May and August.
TRENDS
Tigers are 50-22 in their last 72 Sunday games
Tigers are 6-2 in Fister's last eight starts
Rangers are 37-18 in their last 55 Sunday games
Rangers are 35-16 in Holland’s last 51 home starts
HITTERS TO WATCH
Torii Hunter 10-for-34 vs. Holland
Miguel Cabrera 0-for-5 vs. Holland
Elvis Andrus 4-for-22 vs. Fister
Nelson Cruz 7-for-16 vs. Fister
MLB Odds and Picks
By: The Linemakers
Sportingnews.com
The phrase, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" was meant for guys like Milwaukee's Kyle Lohse.
We're not talking about Lohse's looks. Some fans/bettors see a max-effort pitcher who has hung around the majors since 2001 because of his craftiness. Others say, "You can't spell 'Lohse' without 'lose.'"
Lohse has been stuck in one of those losing stretches. The Brewers have lost each of his last four starts, and Lohse has a 4.50 ERA and 1.58 WHIP in those games. Lohse, however, has also has been the victim of poor run support. Milwaukee has scored just four runs in those four games. It's hard to win when you are backed up with one run per game.
Sunday's matchup against the Cardinals, however, isn't a bad spot to take Lohse at +115. The Brewers face lefthander John Gast, who struggled in his first big-league start. The Brewers also have the league's third-best batting average against lefties (.282). If there were ever day for more run support, it's today.
Plus, Lohse should have St. Louis scouted out pretty well, seeing that he pitched there from 2008-12. Lohse has a 3.39/1.18 lifetime split at Busch Stadium, so the value is in this pick. Perhaps 'Lohse' will spell 'win' for baseball bettors, at least for a day.
Sunday's selections:
Brewers (Lohse) +115 at Cardinals
Giants/Rockies OVER 11 (-105)
Mariners/Indians UNDER 7 (Even)
Season to date record: 80-71 (+1075)