Friday’s Streaking and Slumping Starting Pitchers
Streaking
Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals
The way Wainwright is pitching in the second half of the year, the Cardinals could have two Cy Young contenders on their staff.
The right-hander has lead St. Louis to five straight wins in his recent starts and carries a 1.29 ERA since the break. In his most recent trip to the bump, Wainwright gave up one run through six innings, striking out seven batters, against the Nationals – on his 28th birthday.
His efforts are only outdone by teammate Chris Carpenter, who won the NL Pitcher of the Month for August with an 8-0 record and ERA just north of 2.00.
Bronson Arroyo, Cincinnati Reds
Bronson Arroyo will never stop rockin’ as long as there are games to pitch.
While the Reds are showing life in the home stretch of the season, they are still stuck in the NL Central basement. Arroyo is hoping some of those wins can come when he is on the mound. Cincy has ruined the righty’s efforts with poor run support and a feeble bullpen.
Since the All-Star break, Arroyo is just 2-4 in nine starts but boasts a 2.53 ERA. In his last three starts, the veteran pitcher is 0-1 with a 1.61 ERA. His most recent effort, a two-run, six-hit display, resulted in a 3-2 loss to the Dodgers and another no-decision for Arroyo.
Cincinnati has won four straight games heading into Friday’s game, scoring over six runs per game during this stretch.
Slumping
Roy Halladay, Toronto Blue Jays
When Roy Halladay hits the slumping side of this article, you know things are bad in Toronto. The Doctor was beat up – by Doc standards - again in his most recent outing, allowing four runs on seven hits in six innings against the Red Sox.
In his last three appearances, Halladay has an ERA just under 8.00 and has allowed four home runs. He’s also watched his command suffer during this skid, with pitch counts soaring despite only going six innings at most.
Bobby Parnell, New York Mets
Don’t blame all the Mets' woes on Parnell. You can, however, blame some of them. The right-hander has blown leads in his last three games, going 0-3 with an ERA above 15.00. In his most recent nightmare, Parnell served up eight earned runs in just over four innings, including a grand slam.
After a promising showing against the Giants in the middle of August, in which Parnell pitched a six-inning shutout while striking out seven batters, he was walked more batters than he has whiffed and has struggled to find the strike zone with pitch counts above 100 despite short showings.
But, in Parnell’s defense, the team didn’t expect him to still be pitching in the bigs at this time of year. And neither did he.
Friday MLB Tips
By Kevin Rogers
Football is underway, but still plenty of intriguing storylines exist in baseball, as the Friday card provides bettors with a number of good pitching matchups. Ten pitchers with at least 12 victories toe the rubber on Friday night, including a pair at Tropicana Field, when the Detroit and Tampa Bay hook up.
Tigers at Rays (7:38 PM EST)
These two teams split a four-game set at Comerica Park last weekend, with the Rays capturing the final game on Monday, 11-7. Detroit remains atop the AL Central, while Tampa Bay is trying to climb up the AL Wild Card ladder.
Justin Verlander (15-7, 3.38 ERA) continues to be in the running for the AL Cy Young Award, coming off consecutive victories over the Angels and Rays. Verlander's numbers have slipped a bit away from the Motor City, going 7-5 on the road, with an ERA of 4.39. Detroit is 5-0 in Verlander's five career starts against Tampa Bay, but he will be making only his second career start at Tropicana Field.
Jeff Niemann (12-5, 3.80 ERA) has been solid at home all season, winning five of seven decisions at the Trop. The Rays have dominated those contests, outscoring the opposition by nearly four runs a game in his eight home outings. Niemann is coming off a strong effort at Detroit, despite taking a no-decision in a 4-3 loss to Verlander on Sunday. Niemann allowed five hits and two earned runs in seven innings, but Placido Polanco's eighth-inning homer off Grant Balfour proved to be the difference for Detroit.
Las Vegas Sports Consultants has opened the Tigers as a $1.10 road favorites, with the total set at 8 ½ (Bet $1.20 to win $1.00 on the 'under').
Yankees at Blue Jays (7:08 PM EST)
Toronto doesn't have much to play for over the final weeks of the season, but ace Roy Halladay looks to rebound off three straight bad starts. Joba Chamberlain, meanwhile, is coming off a 35-pitch effort against the White Sox his last time out.
Halladay (13-8, 3.13 ERA) has compiled a bloated ERA of 7.94 his last three outings, all losses, including two to the Red Sox. The Jays' ace did have a bit of success against the Yankees in 2008 and his first start this season. However, the Bronx Bombers have knocked around Halladay his last two outings, racking up 19 hits and ten runs in 16 innings, including six home runs.
The Yankees are being careful with Chamberlain (8-4, 4.38 ERA) down the stretch, trying to keep him fresh for the postseason. Chamberlain has not lasted past the fifth inning in any of his last three starts, while not compiling a quality outing since July 29 at Tampa Bay (8 IP, 3 H, 0 R). The 'over' has hit in six of Chamberlain's last seven starts, and 11 of 15 outings at night this season. Chamberlain has taken care of his business against division opponents, with the Yankees winning seven consecutive starts by Joba against the AL East.
The Jays open up as a $1.20 home 'chalk,' with the total listed at 8 ½ (Bet $1.20 to win $1.00 on the 'under').
Phillies at Astros (8:05 PM EST)
Amazingly, Philadelphia and Houston are meeting up for the first time this season, as the two clubs send out their respective southpaw aces, with Cliff Lee and Wandy Rodriguez taking the mound.
Lee (5-1, 1.80 ERA) got knocked around in his last outing by the Braves, allowing six runs and ten hits, including three home runs in a 9-1 drubbing. Prior to that start, Lee was nearly unhittable since his trade from Cleveland at the end of July. The lefty gave up three earned runs in his first five starts with the Phillies, while striking out 39 in that span. Dating back to mid-July, Lee has won his last five road starts, all quality outings.
Rodriguez (12-9, 2.93 ERA) has been stellar at home, going 7-2, with an ERA of 1.73 at Minute Maid Park. The Astros won just two of Rodriguez's six August outings, despite losing the last two starts to Adam Wainwright and Dan Haren. In Rodriguez's last four home starts, the lefty has allowed two runs (one earned), all Houston victories. The 'under' has hit in eight of Rodriguez's 12 home starts this season.
The Phillies won four of seven meetings last season against the Astros, but Houston took two of three at home. Each team has been a good 'under' play recently, with both nailing the 'under' in seven of their past nine games.
LVSC has listed the Phillies as $1.50 road favorites, while the total is listed at 7 ½.
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Detroit (72-61) at Tampa Bay (72-61)
The Tigers go in search of their fourth straight win when they send ace Justin Verlander (15-7, 3.38 ERA) to the mound at Tropicana Field in the opener of a weekend series against the Rays, who will counter with rookie right-hander Jeff Niemann (12-5, 3.80)
Detroit, which leads the A.L. Central by five games over the White Sox, just wrapped up a 5-2 homestand with a three-game sweep of the Indians, capped by Thursday’s 4-3 win in 10 innings. Additionally, the Tigers are on positive streaks of 6-0 in series openers and 6-2 as a favorite, but they are on slides of 6-15 on the road and 4-12 on the highway against right-handed starters.
The Rays, who trail Boston by six games in the A.L. wild-card race, just dropped two of three at home to the Red Sox, including Thursday’s 6-3 loss. Despite those results, the Rays are still on runs of 37-15 at home, 30-12 on Fridays, 70-29 at home against teams with losing road marks and 73-26 at home against right-handed starters. Tampa has also won four straight at home against the Tigers.
Verlander faced the Rays on Sunday and held them to three runs on six hits in eight innings, earning a 4-3 victory as Detroit rallied from a late 3-0 deficit. The Tigers have won six of Verlander’s last eight outings and they’re 5-0 in his five career starts against Tampa Bay, with the All-Star holding the Rays to three runs or less in all five outings. Detroit is on a plethora of positive streaks with Verlander on the hill, including 18-6 against the A.L. East, 41-17 when he gets four days of rest and 7-2 when he’s a favorite.
Niemann is an impressive 5-2 at home with a 2.67 ERA and he dueled Verlander on Sunday pitch-for-pitch, allowing two runs on five hits in seven innings. He’s been great in his last three home starts, surrendering a combined two runs in 24.1 innings, beating the A’s, Royals and Orioles. Tampa is 14-5 in Niemann’s last 19 starts overall, 6-0 in his last six at home and 6-1 when he pitches series openers.
Detroit has topped the total in four of Verlander’s last five series openers and five of his last six on four days rest, but as a team, the Tigers are on “under” runs of 7-2 overall, 5-2 on the road, 4-1 against the A.L. East and 5-1 against teams with winning records.
Conversely, Tampa has gone over the posted number in five of seven when Niemann has been an underdog, but the Rays have stayed under the number in seven of Niemann’s last 10 overall. The Rays are also on “under” streaks of 14-4-1 as a home underdog, 7-2-2 against right-handed starters and 19-7-2 against A.L. Central teams.
Finally, in this series, the over has been the play in nine of the last 15 clashes at Tropicana Field.
ATS ADVANTAGE: NONE
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Baseball Today
SCOREBOARD
Friday, September 4
Boston at Chicago (8:11 p.m. EDT). Paul Byrd, who dazzled with six shutout innings in his first start in nearly a year, makes his second start for the AL wild card-leading Red Sox as they begin a three-game set against the White Sox.
STARS
Thursday
-Jorge Posada, Yankees, hit his 20th homer of the season and drove in four runs to help New York beat Toronto 7-5 for its seventh straight win.
-Pedro Martinez, Phillies, tossed seven impressive innings to outpitch Tim Lincecum and lead Philadelphia to a 2-1 victory over San Francisco.
-David Wright and Pat Misch, Mets. Wright drove in three runs and Misch pitched seven solid innings to earn his first major league win as New York beat Colorado 8-3.
-Jon Garland, Dodgers, faced his former team three days after they traded him and retired the last 14 batters he faced as Los Angeles beat Arizona 4-2.
-Hanley Ramirez, Marlins, hit a tying, pinch-hit single and scored the go-ahead run in his first game since teammate Dan Uggla publicly challenged his effort, lifting Florida to an 8-3 win over Atlanta.
SLUGGING AWAY
Jorge Posada's 20th homer gave New York a major league-leading seven players with at least that many - the first time the Yankees have done that in team history. The seven 20-homer players matches a major league record set three times previously. The 1996 Orioles, 2000 Blue Jays and 2005 Rangers all had seven players with 20 or more home runs. New York shortstop Derek Jeter is the next closest with 17 homers.
THE KID ISN'T DONE
Ken Griffey Jr. sure seems like someone who wants to stick around the Seattle Mariners for another season. While Griffey won't go as far as to say he's leaning toward playing in 2010, he tells The Associated Press he'd be game for another year in Seattle if the situation was right for both himself and the club. And if his body holds up, of course.
HAPPY BOSS
George Steinbrenner is planning to travel to New York for some postseason games if the AL East-leading Yankees make the playoffs. Steinbrenner attended opening day at the new Yankee Stadium this season but has attended few games in New York since becoming increasingly frail. He also watched the Yankees beat the Rays 6-2 on July 29th at Tropicana Field, which is a short trip from his Tampa home.
SENTENCED
A federal judge on Thursday sentenced former major league pitcher Jerry Koosman to six months in prison for not paying his taxes. Prosecutors say Koosman, a former All-Star who helped the New York Mets win the 1969 World Series, didn't pay federal income taxes for 2002, 2003 and 2004. He pleaded guilty in May to willfully failing to file taxes for 2002, a misdemeanor, in a deal with prosecutors.
SIDELINED
Tigers left-hander Jarrod Washburn will miss his next start because of a sore left knee. Washburn was scheduled to start Saturday in Tampa Bay. He said on Thursday that he will be replaced by Armando Galarraga. Washburn missed a start in May with Seattle for the same reason.
SPEAKING
"It's ridiculous how nasty his stuff still is. When you watch him, it's obvious he knows what he's doing out there.'' - San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum on Pedro Martinez, who tossed seven impressive innings to outpitch the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner in the Philadelphia's 2-1 victory.