Chan's Money Arms: Week of Aug. 25
By DAVID CHAN
This column has produced a 27-14 record over the past nine weeks, proving that a little homework can go a long way when it comes to building baseball bankrolls.
Ryan Dempster, Chicago Cubs, Thursday vs. Philadelphia
Dempster will be matched up against Phillies ace Cole Hamels, and that should help unlock some value with the Cubs in this one. The Dempster profit train has yet to run off the tracks this season, as he brings a 15-5 record and 2.85 ERA to the table. His consistency has been remarkable, as he enters this start having given up two earned runs or less in seven straight outings. The Phillies have yet to face the reborn right-hander this season, and based on their recent results away from home, I expect them to struggle at the plate. Hamels hasn’t shown enough consistency for me to back him on the road against an elite N.L. club.
Baseball Today
SCOREBOARD
Thursday, Aug. 28
Philadelphia at Chicago Cubs (8:05 p.m. EDT). The Phillies' Cole Hamels (11-8, 3.20 ERA) matches up with the Cubs' Ryan Dempster (15-5, 2.85) when two teams with playoff aspirations meet at Wrigley Field.
STARS
- Ryan Ludwick, Cardinals, went 3-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored in a 5-3 victory over Milwaukee.
- Brian Roberts, Orioles, had three RBIs and his AL-leading 46th double in an 11-3 win over the White Sox.
- Tim Lincecum, Giants, struck out 10 to boost his majors-leading total to 210 in a 4-1 win over Colorado.
- Josh Johnson, Marlins, threw a four-hitter for his first career complete game in a 4-1 win over the Braves.
- Jody Gerut, Padres, went 3-for-4, including the go-ahead single in the eighth inning of a 5-4 win over Arizona.
DODGERS BLUE
The Los Angeles Dodgers lost a season-high sixth straight game, 5-4 against the lowly Washington Nationals. They've lost eight straight road games for the first time since 2005. Los Angeles has scored just 10 runs during the losing streak, accentuated by failing to get even when down by a run with two outs and the bases loaded in the eighth inning. In just two pitches from Nationals closer Joel Hanrahan, Matt Kemp popped out to left field.
SENDOFF
In their final regular-season trip to Yankee Stadium, the Red Sox have outscored their longtime rivals 18-6 in the first two games of this three-game series, including an 11-3 win on Wednesday night in which Jason Bay drove in four runs and Dustin Pedroia hit a grand slam.
RALLY CARDS
Ryan Ludwick lacked a triple for the cycle and had two RBIs to lead the St. Louis Cardinals' comeback from a three-run deficit in a 5-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Rebounding from a 12-0 rout Tuesday, the Cardinals scored four runs in the eighth inning and pulled within 3 1/2 games of the Brewers for the NL wild-card lead.
STREAKY INDIANS
The Indians beat the Tigers 9-7 for their 10th straight win. They now have a 10-game winning streak and 10-game losing streak this year, the first team to have such double-digit streaks since Tampa Bay won and lost 12 in a row in 2004. The Indians also had winning and losing streaks of 10 games or more in 1931 and 1979. It's the 21st time in major league history a team has won and lost at least 10 straight games.
SWEEP
The Texas Rangers pulled off their first three-game sweep this season, beating Kansas City 3-2 when Jarrod Saltalamacchia scooted home after pitcher Brian Bannister flubbed a popup in the seventh.
RED RULER
Even in an off year, Houston ace Roy Oswalt knows how to beat the Cincinnati Reds. Oswalt improved to 12-9 in a 4-1 Astros win, his 22nd victory against the Reds in 23 decisions. He's won seven straight since a 5-4 loss at Cincinnati in 2006. He hasn't lost to the Reds in Houston since 2004.
SWEPT AWAY
The Chicago Cubs turned two well-placed bunts into two runs in the seventh inning and swept yet another three-game series from the Pirates with a 2-0 victory. After scoring 26 runs in the first two games, the Cubs turned to pitching and defense for their third three-game sweep this season of the NL Central rival Pirates. The Cubs won the season series 14-4, the most victories they've have against Pittsburgh since going 15-7 in 1954.
SPEAKING
"We're fighting some demons, the demons of the past, the rascals that have hung around us for a year.'' - Mets manager Jerry Manuel, after his team rallied for a 6-3 win over Philadelphia a night after blowing a seven-run lead and losing. New York faltered down the stretch last year, handing a playoff berth to the Phillies.
Thursday's streaking and slumping pitchers
By JUSTIN BANKS
Streaking
Edwin Jackson, Tampa Bay Rays (10-8, 3.93)
Jackson’s recent success has puzzled his opponents. He is 2-1 and has a 1.89 ERA in his last three starts.
Jackson, who had just five wins in 2007, is 5-1 in his last six starts. In his last outing, a road triumph over the Chicago White Sox, he relinquished two earned runs on seven hits in six innings. He is also 2-1 in his last three starts at Tropicana Field.
The Rays are 4-1 in Jackson’s last five starts with five days of rest and are 10-4 in their last 14 against the Blue Jays.
Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies (11-8, 3.20)
Don’t judge Hamels by his record; he has been on fire recently. He is 2-0 in his last three starts and has a 2.05 ERA and 0.86 WHIP.
Hamels has surrendered just seven earned runs in his last 28.1 IP and is fresh off a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in which he had five strikeouts and no walks. The lefty is 3-1 with a solid 1.23 ERA in his last three starts against the Chicago Cubs.
The Phillies are 17-5 in Hamels’ last 22 starts against the NL Central and are 13-6 in their last 19 meetings at Wrigley Field.
Slumping
Charlie Morton, Atlanta Braves (3-8, 6.39)
Morton has just two wins in his last 10 and has a 10.24 ERA in his last three overall. He has also allowed 11 earned runs and one homer in his last 9.2 IP.
Morton is 0-5 in his last six home starts and 0-1 with a 6.35 ERA in one start this season against the Florida Marlins. He's given up a lofty eight homers in his last 10 starts.
The Braves are 1-6 in Morton’s last seven and are 0-4 in his last four home starts.