MLB movers and shakers
By Ted Sevransky
The baseball season is as much of a grind for bettors as it is for the players. To stay sharp it’s important to know the latest lineup changes and notes from each team. Thankfully, Ted Sevransky helps us out with this time-consuming chore.
Red Sox offense gets a boost
Kevin Youkilis’ bat was carrying the Boston Red Sox offense before he went on the disabled list earlier this month. The Red Sox had won 13 of their 17 previous games and Youkilis was hitting .393 with an OPS of 1.224 - best in the big leagues.
Boston started slumping without Youkilis batting in his customary cleanup spot. The Red Sox went a modest 7-6 without Youkilis and were held to four runs or less eight times during that span.
Prior to the injury, the Red Sox had scored five runs or more in 14 of their previous 20 contests. The absence of Youkilis has been overlooked because of all the hubbub surrounding David Ortiz’s well-publicized failures in recent weeks.
Ortiz’s rapid decline is certainly a concern for Red Sox backers. Even after sitting out for the weekend following a dismal 4-28 stretch with only one RBI, Ortiz was just as bad upon his return, going 0-3 with two strikeouts against Toronto on Tuesday. Ortiz has seen his OPS decline from 1.066 in 2007 to .877 last year to .610 in 2009.
Youkilis is coming off the DL to face Toronto this week, and Ortiz can’t get much worse than he’s been in recent weeks. Don’t be shocked if Boston gets an immediate offensive boost with their cleanup hitter back in the lineup.
Reds need Votto healthy
Joey Votto isn’t a household name but he’s one of Cincinnati’s most important plays.
“It’s a little different without Joey,” Reds manager Dusty Baker told reporters. “He’s our big man in the middle. Right now we’re just hoping he’s OK so we can get him back. That’s (priority) number one.”
Votto has been suffering from bouts of dizziness, sitting since May 16th. Earlier this week, Votto went through battery of tests to figure out what’s wrong, but we’ve yet to hear the results of those tests – he could be out for an indefinitely.
Votto is the Reds leader in hits, doubles, RBIs, walks, batting average, on-base percentage and OPS. Without him the lineup, Cincinnati lost four straight, snapping a strong stretch in which the club won six out of seven.
Baker’s squad has scored just 12 runs, hitting .167 as a team while going 1-for-18 with runners in scoring position during the four-game skid.
Worst bullpen ever?
I ran across a great quote from former presidential candidate Ralph Nadar that is pertinent here. Nadar was criticizing the press for largely ignoring his campaign.
“We don’t cover your campaign because you have no chance of winning,” the reporter told the independent candidate.
Nader retorted: “Then why do you cover the Washington Nationals?”
The Nats were the single worst team in baseball last year, finishing with a 59-102 mark. Through the first quarter of the 2009 campaign, Manny Acta’s squad is once again the worst team in baseball; 11-27 through their first 38 games.
Despite the fact that Washington is an underdog in nearly every game it plays, Washington still ranks dead last in the key ‘profitability’ category.
If you’ve backed the Nationals with a one-unit wager in every one of their games so far this season, you’re down more than 14 units already.
The Nationals are hitting the baseball, tied with the Mets for fourth in the NL in runs scored. Three of their starting pitchers – John Lannan, Shairon Martis and Jordan Zimmerman have been serviceable. But when Acta is forced to bring his bullpen into the equation, things have gotten downright ugly.
The Nats have used 13 different relievers this year. Ron Villone has been good, pitching eight innings without allowing a run. The other dozen relievers have been awful.
Washington’s bullpen has a major league worst 6.75 ERA and the Nats relievers have gone a woeful 1-14 in their 15 previous decisions this season.
Over bettors have been cleaning up betting Nationals games with Washington’s offense clicking and its bullpen falling apart. Through Tuesday night’s extra-inning loss to the Pirates (another bullpen meltdown), the Nats are 10-1 to the over in their last 11 ballgames.