Wednesday's Best MLB Bets
Boston Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays (-110, 9.5)
So now Red Sox supporters are hoping seven times is a charm?
Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield makes his seventh walk to the mound in search of his 200th career win Wednesday in Toronto and if he doesn’t make it happen this time around, he may not get another chance this year.
Wakefield has been stuck on 199 wins since July 24.
The BoSox are trying to juggle a six-man rotation at the moment and Wakefield could end up as the odd man out considering the rest of the rotation’s depth. He was drilled for four runs and a pair of homers in four innings of work against the A’s in his last start.
“There’s nothing really on his part. He still threw the ball the same way,” catcher Jarrod Saltalammachia told reporters. “But they just did a great job fighting pitches off. Fouling them off. They were taking pitches, so when you fall behind, you’ve got to try and throw a strike.”
The 45-year-old did look pretty good in shutting out the Texas Rangers in three innings of relief duty last Friday, so maybe this is the spot that he breaks through.
Pick: Red Sox
Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Indians (+145, 7)
The Cleveland Indians received a big boost for their playoff push Tuesday when second baseman Jason Kipnis came off the DL.
Kipnis has been out of action with abdominal and hamstring injuries since Aug. 12, but is hitting .279 with six homers and 11 RBIs in only 68 at bats this season.
"It wasn't fun," Kipnis told reporters of his stint on the shelf. "To have the oblique happen when I was kind of starting to get settled in and get a little bit of confidence going. Then I was going to try to play through it, and I head out to the line and the hamstring happens. ... But it's just another bump in the road."
The Indians still have tons of bumps ahead of them if they’re going to make the postseason, including this matchup against Justin Verlander and the Tigers.
We’ll jump on the under.
Pick: Under
Wednesday's Streaking and Slumping Starting Pitchers
Streaking
David Price, Tampa Bay Rays (12-12, 3.41 ERA)
Price’s numbers aren’t what his supporters were hoping for this season, but he’s been fantastic lately. The lefty has 25 strikeouts over his last two starts, the most of any MLB starter over consecutive outings this season. What’s changed? The big guy found his change-up.
"[Having the changeup] gives me a lot more confidence out there. ... That's what I've been looking for for about 26 years,” Price told reporters. “I finally have a feel for a changeup and it really makes me feel good."
Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers (21-5, 2.34 ERA)
Total no-brainer here. Verlander has won nine straight starts, allowing more than three runs just twice over that span. Verlander has been great for the bullpen, going at least seven innings in all but one of those starts, including his last outing, an 8-1 win over the White Sox. The big right-hander struck out six and walked just one and now ranks fourth in MLB starter money standings, earning more than 11 units for his supporters.
Slumping
Brandon Morrow, Toronto Blue Jays (9-10, 4.78 ERA)
There’s little doubt that Morrow has the tools to be a solid MLB starter - he has 172 strikeouts in 148 innings this season. The problem’s been consistency. The Jays have lost five of his last six starts and he has served up six dingers over his last three trips to the hill.
Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals (8-9, 3.92 ERA)
You used to be able to pencil Carpenter in for 15 wins and a 3.00 ERA every year, but those days appear to have passed him by. While he’ll still come around with a gem every now and then, you have to temper your expectations. The Cardinals have lost each of his last four starts and he has allowed 12 runs over his last two starts.
Oswalt And Phillies Meet Braves On ESPN
By: Willie Bee
ESPN is apparently tired of waiting for the Philadelphia Phillies to officially clinch a postseason berth. Their MLB standings page lists the Phils with a 100 percent chance to make the playoffs, though their magic number sits at 16 entering play on Tuesday.
The Phillies look to trim that number down Wednesday night in their series finale against the Atlanta Braves. First pitch from Citizens Bank Park will be shortly after 7:00 p.m. (ET) with ESPN televising the contest nationally in front of their broadcast of the Mariners, Angels contest.
Wednesday's mound matchup pits youth vs. veteran as Atlanta sends rookie Brandon Beachy (11-10, 3.37) up against Philadelphia's Roy Oswalt (8-11, 3.80). It's a rematch from an April game in Atlanta.
You won't get much argument from anyone about the Phils' chances of not only making the playoffs, but being the team to beat this October. Atlanta is among their potential roadblocks to a third NL pennant, and the Braves were soundly beaten in Monday's series opener when the Phillies (-215) rode Cliff Lee's sixth shutout this campaign to an easy 9-0 win.
Philadelphia was favored to pick up win No. 90 Tuesday night, the Phillies laying -125 behind some youth of their own, rookie Vance Worley.
Beachy will be looking for his first career victory against the Phils with Atlanta dropping all five of his assignments against its division rivals. The right-hander's three results in 2011 have netted a 5.79 ERA in 14 innings.
He did post a quality start in the one start here in Philly on July 8 (6 IP, 2 ER, 6 K), but fell short as a 145 underdog opposite Roy Halladay.
As unbelievable as it might sound, Oswalt could be on the outside looking in when it comes to being in the postseason rotation. He's definitely pitched his way into the No. 5 spot statistically, and has just five more starts at most to try and extend his streak to 10 seasons with 10 wins or more.
This will be Oswalt's third start vs. the Braves since joining the Phils in July 2010, and both have been Philadelphia wins with the righty tossing 13 innings combined and allowing just one earned run.
Oswalt was an even-money underdog April 9 at Turner Field when he and Beachy matched up. Philadelphia broke a close game open with a 5-run seventh on the way to a 10-2 victory, Atlanta's usually strong bullpen the primary culprit in the loss.
Calling the pitches in the series finale will be Jerry Meals who recently crossed the 500-game mark for regular season duties behind the plate. The 'over' is 14-11-3 in his 28 assignments this season, and on a 5-0-1 run his last six.
A wet day is in Philadelphia's Hump Day forecast, with a 60 percent chance of showers in the evening. Temps should hover in the low-to-mid 70s the entire game with a light ENE breeze (RF corner in towards 3B).
Atlanta leaves for the Big Apple after this game for a one-day stop to play a doubleheader against the Mets at Citi Field. The Phillies take off for Milwaukee to face the Brewers for four, Game 1 of that series on Thursday.
LA Angels Host Seattle Mariners Betting Preview
By: Michael Robinson
The Los Angeles Angels can’t afford any letup against their AL West rival Seattle Mariners in the series finale on Wednesday night.
This is the second half of an ESPN doubleheader after Atlanta at Philadelphia. First pitch from Angel Stadium of Anaheim will be at 10:00 p.m. (ET), with the MLB odds available soon.
Los Angeles (77-64) trails Texas by 2.5 games in the AL West, with time running out and a division title the only realistic path to the playoffs. The series opener on Labor Day was a 7-3 victory with the Angels exploding for six early runs off Anthony Vasquez.
The Angels are now 9-1 in their last 10 home games and 7-1 at home against the Mariners this year (4-5 away in Seattle).
Tuesday night’s middle game was still pending, a fantastic pitching duel between Felix Hernandez and Ervin Santana. Seattle was a 135 underdog in MLB betting, despite Hernandez sporting a 1.88 ERA in three starts against the Angels this year.
Jerome Williams (2-0, 4.58 ERA) will start for L.A. on Wednesday. The 29-year-old right-hander is a good story after being out of the majors since 2007 and winless since 2005. He has a 7.13 strikeout rate and just three walks over 17 2/3 innings.
Williams has made five appearances (two starts) since being called up in August from Triple-A Salt Lake. He last started on August 30 at Seattle, allowing four earned runs over seven innings in an easy 13-6 win. He then had a short relief stint on Sept. 2, having his start skipped after Jered Weaver was pushed back to attend a funeral.
Williams has a 1.00 ERA in his three home appearances, including a one-run, seven-inning gem versus Baltimore on Aug. 21 (7-1 win).
The Mariners (58-82) have lost five straight pending Tuesday, last beating the Angels on August 31 behind a complete game from Hernandez. This is the lowest scoring team in the AL (3.45 runs per game), scoring 61 runs less than any other squad.
Lefty Charlie Furbush (3-7, 4.97 ERA) will start for Seattle. He was acquired from Detroit at the trade deadline and hasn’t distinguished himself (2-4, 6.39 ERA) since.
The 25-year-old rookie last pitched on Thursday against the Angels. He surrendered four earned runs over six innings in a 4-3 home loss. He did settle down pretty well after a 3-run homer by Torii Hunter in the first inning.
Seattle is just 1-4 in Furbush’s last five starts (7.20 ERA). The two on the road have been ugly at Tampa Bay (8-0) and Texas (9-2), allowing a combined 11 earned runs over seven innings.
The ‘under’ is 4-0 in Furbush’s last four starts, but that’s only because the Mariners scored a combined 10 runs.
The Angels are 19-7 in their last 26 games against a lefty starter. The ‘over’ is 6-1 in the last seven versus a southpaw.
L.A.’s offense ranks just 10th in the AL (4.13 runs per game). However, it’s been much better the last 16 games at 6.5 per game. The ‘over’ is 12-4 during that span.
Seattle is just 6-20 on the road in the second half. The ‘over’ is 6-1 in the last seven away, allowing 6.14 runs per game.
Laz Diaz will call balls and strikes. The Angels are 21-8 the last 29 games with him behind home plate. The ‘under’ is 10-1 the last 11 times he’s been behind the dish against Seattle.
There are no significant injuries for either team. Weather also won’t be a factor, clear and in the 70s.
Seattle will return home to host Kansas City beginning Thursday, while L.A. has a day off before welcoming the Yankees on Friday.