Friday's Tip Sheet
By Brad Young
Interleague action is still taking place across Major League Baseball, so this Tip Sheet will focus on four West Coast contests. Interleague games will continue through late June before teams face their traditional opponents once again until the All Star break from July 13-16.
Now let’s take a closer look at the four West Coast games on Friday’s schedule.
**Athletics (Outman) at Padres (LeBlanc)**
The Palms Casino installed Oakland as a $1.29 road ‘chalk’ over’ San Diego, with the total set at 7 ½ ‘under’ (minus $1.20). This interleague matchup is slated to start at 10:05 p.m. ET.
Oakland southpaw Josh Outman (4-1, 3.53 ERA) heads to the hill fresh off his first setback of the season after falling to San Francisco Saturday as a road ‘pick,’ 5-2. The 24-year-old went six innings, surrendering four runs on five hits (one home run) with no walks and four strikeouts.
The combined seven runs slithered ‘under’ the 7 ½-run closing total, enabling the ‘under’ to cash his previous six outings.
Outman, a second-year player, has never started against the Padres in his brief career in the majors.
San Diego gives the starting assignment to Wade LeBlanc, who is making his first start of the season for the Padres after going 1-3 last year in five games (four starts). The left-hander tossed 21 1/3 innings, allowing 19 runs on 29 hits (seven home runs) with 15 walks and 14 strikeouts.
The former Alabama Crimson Tide hurler spent the beginning of this season at Triple-A Portland, going a modest 1-4 with a 4.08 ERA over 11 games (10 starts). LeBlanc went 57 1/3 innings during that span, walking just 17 batters while striking out 47.
The 24-year-old has never started against the Athletics.
**Dodgers (Billingsley) at Angels (Saunders)**
The Palms Casino opened the Dodgers as a $1.10 road favorite over the Angels, with the total listed at eight ‘under’ (minus $1.20). First pitch is scheduled for 10:05 p.m. ET.
Los Angeles Dodgers hurler Chad Billingsley (9-3, 2.72 ERA) is currently riding a personal three-game winning streak after upending Texas Sunday as a $1.35 road ‘chalk,’ 6-3. The four-year veteran was reached for three runs (two earned) on five hits (one home run) with a walk and three strikeouts over seven innings.
The combined nine runs failed to eclipse the 9 ½-run closing total, helping the ‘under’ improve to 3-1 his last four outings.
Billingsley fell to the Angels May 24 as a $1.80 home favorite, 10-7, going six innings while allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hits with a walk and six strikeouts. The combined 17 runs soared ‘over’ the eight-run closing total.
The Angels’ Joe Saunders (7-4, 3.66 ERA) dumped San Diego in his latest effort Saturday as a decided $2.10 home ‘chalk,’ 9-1. The Virginia Tech product went 8 1/3 innings, yielding the lone run on eight hits (one home run) with a walk and five strikeouts.
The combined 10 runs toppled the 9 ½-run closing total, enabling the ‘over’ to cash his third straight start.
Saunders went 1-1 against the Dodgers last year in two starts, going a combined 12 1/3 innings while allowing five runs (four earned) on 10 hits (two home runs) with six walks and five strikeouts. The Angels prevailed as a $1.25 home favorite, 4-2, while losing as a $1.20 road ‘chalk,’ 6-0. The ‘under’ occurred in both games.
**Diamondbacks (Garland) at Mariners (Washburn)**
The Palms Casino lists Seattle as a $1.40 home ‘chalk’ over Arizona, with the total set at eight ‘under’ (minus $1.30). This matchup is scheduled to begin at 10:10 p.m. ET.
Arizona gives the starting assignment to Jon Garland (4-7, 5.45 ERA), hoping the veteran right-hander can get back on the winning track. The 29-year-old has dropped his last five starts after Saturday’s setback to Houston as a home ‘pick,’ 6-4. The 6-foot-6 hurler was reached for three runs on six hits (one home run) with a walk and two strikeouts over seven innings.
The combined 10 runs eclipsed the 9 ½-run closing total, enabling the ‘over’ to go 3-1 his last four starts.
Garland went 2-1 against the Mariners last year in four starts as a member of the Los Angeles Angels, tossing a combined 23 innings while yielding 16 runs (13 earned) on 38 hits (one home run) with six walks and seven strikeouts. The Angels won as a $2.00 home favorite, 7-3, as a $1.65 home ‘chalk,’ 5-2, and as a $1.28 road underdog, 6-5, while losing as a road ‘pick,’ 8-3. The ‘over’ went 3-1 during those four outings.
Seattle southpaw Jarrod Washburn (3-5, 3.30 ERA) continues to struggle after last Friday’s setback to Colorado as a $1.43 road underdog, 6-4. The 34-year-old went six innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits (one home run) with three walks and a strikeout.
The combined 10 runs eclipsed the nine-run closing total, ending a string of three straight ‘under’ outings for the 12-year veteran.
Washburn has not started against the Diamondbacks the previous few seasons.
**Rangers (Feldman) at Giants (Johnson)**
The Palms Casino opened Texas as a $1.15 road favorite over San Francisco, with the total listed at 10:15 p.m. ET.
-Texas hurler Scott Feldman (5-1, 2.75 ERA) is coming off of a tough-luck no-decision in Saturday’s effort against the Angels. The 6-foot-5 pitcher tossed five scoreless innings on three hits with no walks and a strikeout.
The Rangers eventually dropped that contest as a $1.15 home ‘chalk,’ 3-1, while the combined four runs went ‘under’ the 9 ½-run closing total. The ‘under’ has cashed in Feldman’s previous 10 starts, with the Rangers going 7-3.
The five-year veteran has not started against the Giants the previous few years.
San Francisco’s Randy Johnson (6-5, 4.89 ERA) improved to 3-1 his last four starts after knocking off Oakland Saturday as a home ‘pick,’ 5-2. The lanky left-hander went seven innings, yielding both runs on four hits (one home run) with a walk and three strikeouts.
The combined seven runs slithered ‘under’ the 7 ½-run closing total, helping the ‘under’ cash his third consecutive contest.
Johnson, pitching in the majors since 1988, has not started against the Rangers the previous few years.
vegasinsider.com
Game of the day: Dodgers at Angels
By David Chan
Los Angeles Dodgers at Los Angeles Angels
Rivalry renewed
It may not be as heated as the Mets-Yankees or White Sox-Cubs, but the rivalry between the Dodgers and Angels is just as entertaining.
The Dodgers are the best team in baseball this season while the Angels are finally starting to play like contenders.
That sets up an intriguing weekend series in Anaheim.
Pitching matchup
The series gets started with a doozy on the mound.
Chad Billingsley will be trying for his 10th win of the season and will also be out for revenge after pitching his worst game of 2009 against the Angels back in late May.
In that start, Billingsley was tagged for nine hits and five runs over six innings in an eventual 10-7 loss. Since then he has given up two earned runs or less in three of four starts.
Joe Saunders gets the start for the Angels. He came within two outs of a complete game against San Diego last weekend, rebounding after back-to-back rough outings in which he gave up six and four earned runs.
Last year, Saunders helped the Angels defeat the Dodgers 4-2 in Anaheim. Just over a month later he was a 6-0 loser at Dodger Stadium.
Power surge
The Angels weren't hitting the last time they faced the Dodgers.
But now with all hands on deck, they've scored 47 runs over their last six ball games.
Even without Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter in the starting lineup Wednesday, the Angels still managed to come from behind to defeat the Giants 4-3.
Of course Guerrero and Hunter played a part in that victory, each recording pinch-hit singles in their eighth inning rally.
Over their last 10 games, the Angels are hitting a collective .320 BA and posting a 6-3-1 over/under count.
History lesson
The Angels have gotten the better of the Dodgers over the last few seasons, taking 12 of the last 17 meetings.
In Anaheim, it's been no contest as the Halos have won seven of their last eight matchups.
But this is a different Dodger team and one that will be highly motivated after dropping two of three at home against their cross-town rival earlier this season.
The Boys in Blue haven't had much trouble winning on the road, posting a 19-13 record so far in 2009. However, they are just 14-37 in their last 51 interleague road games.
Milwaukee (37-29) at Detroit (35-31)
The surging Brewers will send right-hander Braden Looper (5-3, 4.62) to the mound at Comerica Park for the opener of a three-game interleague set against the Tigers, who will counter with right-hander Armando Galarraga (3-7, 5.56).
Milwaukee is coming off a three-game road sweep of Cleveland, piling up 30 runs but also allowing 25, capped by a 9-8, 11-inning victory Wednesday night. The Brewers are on positive streaks of 5-1 on the highway, 14-3 in series openers and 20-6 against winning teams, but despite their success against the last-place Indians, they remain just 4-9 in their last 13 interleague roadies.
Detroit avoided a three-game sweep at St. Louis by posting a 6-3 victory Thursday night, halting a four-game skid in the process as it wrapped up an 11-game road trip with a 5-6 record. The Tigers, who lead the A.L. Central, are on upswings of 46-21 in interleague play and 37-14 in home interleague contests, but they are also on slides of 14-29 in series openers, 2-6 at home overall and 3-6 against winning teams.
These two squads last met in 2007, with visiting Milwaukee taking two of three, after Detroit took two of three on the road in 2006.
Looper got no-decisions in his last two starts, both Milwaukee losses, including Sunday’s 5-4 home setback to the White Sox. Despite an inflated 6.89 career ERA against Detroit, Looper is 3-1 in eight appearances (two starts), and the veteran is 2-2 with a 5.19 ERA in five road starts this season. On the bright side, the Brew Crew is 6-1 in Looper’s last seven starts against winning teams.
Detroit has dropped seven of Galarraga’s last nine starts, with the righty failing to record a win since April 26. Galarraga is 0-7 in those nine outings, allowing 38 runs in 45 1/3 innings, for a bloated 7.54 ERA. In his lone career start against St. Louis, he allowed five runs (four earned) in 4 2/3 innings last June, though Detroit posted an 8-7 home win. The 27-year-old is 2-3 with a 5.17 ERA in six home starts this year.
The Tigers are 4-1 in Galarraga’s last five starts against winning teams, but they’re 1-5 in his last six series openers.
The over for Milwaukee is on surges of 4-0 overall (all in interleague play), 4-0 on the road, 7-2 as an interleague pup and 5-1 with Looper facing a winning team. On the flip side, Detroit carries “under” runs of 21-9 overall, 10-2 at home, 9-3 against winning teams and 20-8-1 in interleague play.
ATS ADVANTAGE: MILWAUKEE
L.A. Dodgers (44-23) at L.A. Angels (35-29)
The streaking Angels trot out southpaw Joe Saunders (7-4, 3.66 ERA) to open their three-game Freeway Series with the neighborhood rival Dodgers, who will start ace right-hander Chad Billingsley (9-3, 2.72).
The Angels have swept their last two series, both against the National League West. Last weekend, they took three straight from San Diego at home, then went north to San Francisco where they scored three more victories against the Giants, capped by Wednesday’s 4-3 victory. During the six-game winning streak,, the Angels’ offense has been explosive, racking up 47 runs while allowing just 18. The Angels have won their last four series openers and are on further streaks of 4-0 at home, 18-5 against the N.L. West and 38-17 in interleague play.
The Dodgers have won four of their last five, most recently taking two of three from Oakland, including Thursday’s 3-2 victory to close out a three-game home set. The Dodgers are on upswings of 42-20 overall and 11-4 on the road, but they are on purges of 20-43 in their last 63 interleague contests and 14-37 in their last 51 interleague roadies. They are also on a 5-17 slide against left-handers from the American League.
The Angels took two of three at Dodger Stadium last month and are on further runs in this rivalry of 12-5 overall and 20-7 on their home field.
Saunders shut down the visiting Padres in his last start, allowing one run (a solo homer) on seven hits and a walk in 8 1/3 innings of a 9-1 home win Saturday. In three starts prior to that, the lefty gave up 13 earned runs over 19 1/3 innings (6.05 ERA), with the Angels losing all three contests. Saunders is 3-2 with a 2.74 ERA in six home starts this year, and he’s 1-1 with a 2.92 ERA in two career starts against the Dodgers.
With Saunders taking the ball, the Angels are on runs of 52-24 overall, 5-1 in interleague play, 20-6 in series openers and 28-13 at home.
Billingsley has followed up a two-game slide – including a loss to the Angels – with three straight victories, allowing a total of five runs in 18 2/3 innings (2.41 ERA). On Sunday at Texas, he yielded three runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk as the Dodgers notched a 6-3 victory. The 24-year-old is 3-1 with a solid 1.94 ERA in six road starts this season.
Billingsley dropped to 1-2 with a 2.45 ERA in five career appearances (three starts) against the Angels with last month’s 10-7, series-concluding loss, yielding five runs (four earned) on nine hits and a walk in six innings. Still, the Dodgers are on several strong runs behind Billingsley, including 11-3 overall, 5-1 on the road and 4-1 in interleague play.
The over is 5-2-1 in the Angels’ last seven games, all against the N.L. West. However, the Halos are also on ‘under” runs of 10-3 against righties and 5-1 in Saunders’ last six interleague starts. In addition, the under for the Dodgers is on rolls of 6-1 on the road, 6-1 against winning teams, 12-4 in interleague games and 4-0-2 in Billingsley’s last six road outings.
Finally, the total has stayed low in nine of the last 13 meetings overall in this rivalry and is 9-3-1 in the last 13 battles in Anaheim.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
Gametimepicks.com
Streaking and Slumping Pitchers
By Covers.com
Streaking
Jose Contreras (Chicago White Sox)
There’s nothing like a stint in the minors to boost a pitcher’s confidence. Chicago White Sox starter Jose Contreras is a changed man after his recent demotion. Since returning to the big-league club, the right-hander is 2-0 and hasn’t allowed an earned run in 16 innings of work.
In his most recent outing, Contreras went eight innings, allowed just two hits and struck out eight batters. Before this turnaround, he was 0-5 and was in danger of losing his spot in the rotation.
"This is the strongest I've felt since 2005-06, the best I've thrown the ball,” he told the Chicago Tribune. "I knew I was going to come back, but just not as strong as I have and as quickly."
While in Triple-A, Contreras honed his command and tightened his split-fingered fastball. Those adjustments have him opening this series with the Reds and earning last week’s American League Player of the Week award.
Randy Johnson (San Francisco Giants)
Like a fine wine, Randy Johnson is getting better with age. The Giants' aging lefty is 3-1 and posting a 2.15 ERA in his past five starts – including picking up his 300th win against the Washington Nationals on June 4.
Following a solid five-inning, three-run showing in a loss to the Florida Marlins, Johnson went seven innings against the Oakland Athletics, giving up two runs on two hits last Saturday.
Johnson threw just 91 pitches against the A’s and has topped the century mark just once in those five starts.
Slumping
Rich Hill (Baltimore Orioles)
Rich Hill’s recent command issues have kept the southpaw’s starts brief. He’s pitched just under five innings in his past two appearances, most recently a four-inning outing in which he gave up four runs on five hits.
Hill is struggling with his curve ball, posting a strikeout-to-walk count of 1-to-7 to go along with his ballooning ERA in those past two starts. Since making the jump to the American League and coming off an elbow injury he’s just 2-1 with a 5.81 ERA in six starts for Baltimore.
Daisuke Matsuzaka (Boston Red Sox)
The Red Sox are giving Dice-K one more chance to hold his spot in the rotation before considering bumping the Japanese import to the bullpen.
Matsuzaka is just 1-4 and boasts a 7.55 ERA on the year and has yet to pitch six or more innings in a start. In his most recent trip to the bump, the righty went just four innings and allowed four runs on seven hits.
With veteran arm John Smoltz scheduled to return soon, Boston has gone to a makeshift six-man rotation. Manager Terry Francona has told reporters the team has faith in the former 18-game winner and he's worried that sticking Matsuzaka in a long relief role could hurt his confidence.
Baseball Today
SCOREBOARD
Friday, June 19
Chicago White Sox at Cincinnati (7:10 p.m. EDT). The teams from the infamous 1919 World Series meet again, 90 years later.
STARS
Thursday
-Adrian Gonzalez, Padres, matched his career high with four hits, including a homer, and scored the winning run in the 10th as San Diego beat Seattle 4-3.
-Derrek Lee and Geovany Soto, Cubs, hit consecutive homers in the eighth inning as the Chicago Cubs rallied for a 6-5 win over the rival White Sox.
-Rick Porcello, Tigers, pitched 5 2-3 innings to win for the seventh time in nine starts, helping Detroit beat St. Louis 6-3.
-Rod Barajas, Blue Jays, connected for a pinch-hit tiebreaking homer in the ninth inning of Toronto's 8-7 victory over Philadelphia.
-Ubaldo Jimenez, Rockies, tossed 6 2-3 effective innings to win his third straight start, leading Colorado to a 4-3 win over Tampa Bay.
-Nick Blackburn, Twins, pitched a six-hitter for his first career complete game and Minnesota beat Pittsburgh 5-1.
-Nate McLouth, Braves, homered and drove in four runs in Atlanta's 7-0 win at Cincinnati.
-Craig Stammen, Nationals, pitched 6 1-3 innings for his first major league victory, helping Washington beat the New York Yankees 3-0.
-Dan Uggla and Ronny Paulino, Marlins, homered in Florida's rain-shortened 2-1 victory at Boston.
-Chris Young, Diamondbacks, had four of Arizona's 16 hits in a 12-5 win at Kansas City.
ONE LONG DAY
The Washington Nationals beat the New York Yankees 3-0 on Thursday after the start of the game was delayed for 5 1/2 hours by rain. Scheduled to start at 1:05 p.m., the game did not begin until 6:31 p.m. Craig Stammen pitched 6 1-3 innings to earn his first major league victory in the first game without a homer at the new Yankee Stadium.
ROLLING ROCKIES
Clint Barmes, Todd Helton and Carlos Gonzalez homered in Colorado's 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. The surging Rockies have won 13 of 14. They took the final two of the three-game series after Tampa Bay snapped their 11-game winning streak Tuesday.
WHAT A RALLY
Aubrey Huff drove in the winning run with a ninth-inning single off Francisco Rodriguez, capping a two-run rally that carried the Baltimore Orioles to a 5-4 win over the New York Mets. Rodriguez entered with a 0.56 ERA and 16 saves in 17 tries. He walked Adam Jones to force in a run, and after Nick Markakis struck out, Huff hit a liner to right to give Baltimore the win.
SIDELINED
Arizona Diamondbacks ace Brandon Webb had another setback and was flying back to Phoenix to have his ailing shoulder examined again. Webb, a 22-game winner last year, made only one start this season before going on the disabled list April 13 with a sore shoulder. His shoulder bothered him Thursday while playing catch on flat ground. Webb was scheduled to throw a bullpen session Friday in Seattle, but that was canceled.
SWEET HOMECOMING
Hunter Pence led off the eighth with a tiebreaking homer and the Houston Astros beat the Texas Rangers 5-3 to avoid a season sweep. Pence, who grew up in Arlington watching the Rangers play, hit the first pitch of the inning from Jason Jennings (2-2) over the center-field wall. Michael Bourn added a two-out RBI triple to make it 5-3.
SPEAKING
"If you told me a dozen years ago that I'd be in this rarefied air, I'd tell you you're full of baloney - because I certainly started way under .500 when I took over the Yankees in 1996. But I have to thank George Steinbrenner for putting me in a position to do this. I've admired what Sparky did for all those years, and I'm proud to be in that company.'' - Dodgers manager Joe Torre after earning his 2,195th regular-season victory to pass Sparky Anderson for fifth on the career list.
Weekend Cheat Sheet
Marc Lawrence
Another round of Interleague play resumes this weekend and the MLB CHEAT SHEET is right here to guide you through as intra-division play between both circuits continues on the MLB front.
This guide is designed to help you isolate a few key best bets as we focus on four different series on this weekend's Interleague card. Keep in mind that all pitcher records are 'team starts' unless noted otherwise.
FYI: Three interesting Interleague team trends of note as we enter the weekend - Boston is 30-10 in its last 40 as a host... Minnesota is 21-6 in its last 27 contests... San Diego is 4-20 in its last 24 games.
Enjoy the Father's Day weekend...
Atlanta Braves at Boston Red Sox
Most Recent Series Result: Red Sox 8-2 last ten games vs. Braves
Most Recent Series Result: at the Site: Red Sox 4-2 last six games home vs. Braves
Key Day/Month Stat: Red Sox 15-5 home on Sundays; Braves 6-14 away on Sundays
Best Arm in the Series: Red Sox' Matsusaka 1-0 3.37 ERA career team starts vs. Braves
Worst Arm in the Series: Braves' Vazquez 2-7 4.74 ERA career team starts vs. Red Sox
Chicago White Sox at Cincinnati Reds
Most Recent Series Result: White Sox 9-0 last nine games vs. Reds
Most Recent Series Result at the Site: White Sox 6-0 last six games away vs. Reds
Key Day/Month Stat: White Sox 8-2 on Saturdays; Reds 5-15 on Saturdays
Best Arm in the Series: White Sox' Contreras 2-0 4.85 ERA career team starts vs. Reds
Worst Arm in the Series: Reds' Harang 0-1 4.08 ERA career team starts vs. White Sox
Arizona Diamondbacks at Seattle Mariners
Most Recent Series Result: Mariners 9-3 last twelve games vs. Diamondbacks
Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Mariners 4-2 home vs. Diamondbacks
Key Day/Month Stat: Mariners 7-1 home on Sundays; Diamondbacks 5-11 on Sundays
Best Arm in the Series: Diamondbacks' Garland 10-5 3.71 ERA career team starts vs. Mariners
Worst Arm in the Series: Diamondbacks' Davis 2-7 5/10 ERA career team starts vs. Mariners (1-4 5.00 ERA away)
Los Angeles Dodgers at Los Angeles Angels
Most Recent Series Result: Angels 12-5 last seventeen games vs. Dodgers (2-1 this season)
Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Angels 7-1 last eight home vs. Dodgers
Key Day/Month Stat: Dodgers 14-2 on Saturdays; Angels 1-4 on Saturdays
Best Arm in the Series: Angels' Lackey 4-0 0.33 ERA home career team starts vs. Dodgers; Angels' Jerred Weaver 4-1 1.58 career team starts vs. Dodgers (2-0 home)
Worst Arm in the Series: Dodgers' Jeff Weaver 0-5 7.63 ERA last five team starts vs. Angels (0-3 last three away)
Los Angeles Dodgers at Los Angles Angels
By Sportspic
Los Angeles Angels will play host to the Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend in what is commonly known as the Freeway Series.
Halos have gotten the better of the Dodgers over the last few seasons, taking 10 of the last 15 meetings including 2-of-3 in Dodger Stadium back in May.
In Anaheim, it's been all Halos who've won five of the last six and sixteen of twenty encounters. Interesting note, Dodgers the best in the Majors at 44-33 (+$1781) along with a decent 19-13 (+$759) mark on the highway are just 7-29 it's last thirty-six away vs the Junior Circuit.
The opener features Joe Saunders (7-4, 3.66 ERA) and Chad Billingsley (9-3, 2.72) on respective mounds. Saunders with a 3-3 Team Start Record at home is 1-1 with 2.92 ERA in two career starts vs the Boy's in Blue. Billingsley sporting a 5-1 TSR on the road is 1-2 life-time vs Halos and will be trying to exact revenge after pitching his worst game of the season against the Angels back in May.