Monday's Tip Sheet
By Brad Young
Monday’s Major League Baseball schedule features just nine games, including a day-night doubleheader between American League Central rivals Detroit and Chicago. That nightcap will feature the return of the Tigers’ Jeremy Bonderman, who is making his first start of the season after rehabbing with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens.
Here’s a closer look at four of Monday’s key contests.
**Pirates (Duke) at Braves (Kawakami)**
-Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Atlanta as a $1.40 home ‘chalk’ over Pittsburgh, with the total set at 8 ½ ‘under’ (minus $1.15). This National League affair is slated to start at 7:10 p.m. ET.
-Pittsburgh’s Zach Duke (6-4, 2.62 ERA) beat New York Tuesday as a $1.40 home underdog, 3-1. The left-hander tossed seven innings, yielding the lone run on eight hits with a walk and no strikeouts.
-The combined four runs failed to eclipse the 7 ½-run closing total, helping the ‘under’ improve to 6-1 his last seven starts.
-Duke, a five-year veteran, fell to the Braves April 19 as a home ‘pick,’ 11-1. The 26-year-old was reached for six runs on 12 hits (one home run) with no walks and two strikeouts over six innings. The combined 12 runs went ‘over’ the eight-run closing total.
-Atlanta right-hander Kenshin Kawakami (3-6, 4.63 ERA) recorded a no-decision in Tuesday’s effort against Chicago. The rookie hurler went seven innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits (one home run) with a walk and two strikeouts.
-The Braves eventually prevailed as a $1.15 home favorite, 6-5, while the combined 11 runs eclipsed the nine-run closing total. The ‘over’ is 3-1 his past four performances.
-The Japanese native has never started against the Pirates in his brief major league career.
**Diamondbacks (Garland) at Padres (Peavy)**
-LVSC installed San Diego as a $1.65 home favorite over Arizona, with the total listed at seven. This NL West matchup is scheduled to begin at 10:05 p.m. ET.
-Arizona hurler Jon Garland (4-5, 5.34 ERA) is currently mired in a three-game losing skid after Wednesday’s setback to Los Angeles as a $1.80 road underdog, 1-0. The veteran right-hander lasted six innings, allowing the lone run on four hits with three walks and six strikeouts.
-The lone run never seriously threatened the eight-run closing total, helping the ‘under’ improve to 2-1 his past three starts.
-Garland beat the Padres May 6 as a $1.60 road underdog, 3-1. The 29-year-old tossed seven scoreless innings on three hits with three walks and two strikeouts. The combined four runs went ‘under’ the seven-run closing total.
-San Diego pitcher Jake Peavy (5-6, 4.10 ERA) heads to the hill trying to get back on the winning track. The 28-year-old was riding a modest three-game winning streak before falling to Philadelphia Tuesday as a $1.60 home ‘chalk,’ 10-5. The righty lasted just one inning, surrendering four runs on three hits with two walks and no strikeouts.
-The combined 15 runs soared ‘over’ the 7 ½-run closing total, enabling the ‘over’ to cash his second straight start.
-Peavy is 1-1 against the D’backs this season in two starts, going a combined 13 1/3 innings while yielding six runs on 12 hits (one home run) with four walks and 17 strikeouts. The Padres prevailed as a $1.52 road favorite, 8-5, while losing as a $1.70 home ‘chalk,’ 3-1.
**Rays (Sonnanstine) at Yankees (Pettitte)**
-LVSC lists New York as a $1.50 home ‘chalk’ over Tampa Bay, with the total set at 11 ‘under’ (minus $1.20). This American League East contest is scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m. ET.
-Tampa Bay hurler Andy Sonnanstine (4-5, 7.07 ERA) improved to 3-1 his past four starts after upending Kansas City Tuesday as a $1.60 home favorite, 6-2. The Kent State product was reached for two runs on six hits (two home runs) with no walks and three strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings.
-The combined eight runs went ‘under’ the 9 ½-run closing total, ending four consecutive ‘over’ outings.
-Sonnanstine has two no decisions against the Yankees this season, going a combined 12 1/3 innings while surrendering four runs on 10 hits (one home run) with a walk and seven strikeouts. The Rays won as a $1.50 road underdog, 4-3, while losing as a home ‘pick,’ 4-3. The ‘under’ prevailed in both games.
-New York southpaw Andy Pettitte (5-2, 4.33 ERA) was upended by Texas Wednesday as a $1.75 home favorite, 4-2. The Louisiana native went five innings, yielding four runs on seven hits with six walks and six strikeouts.
-The combined six runs failed to topple the 11-run closing total, enabling the ‘under’ to cash his third straight start.
-Pettitte also has a pair of no decisions against the Rays this season, tossing a combined 13 1/3 innings while allowing eight runs on 15 hits (five home runs) with two walks and nine strikeouts. The Yankees prevailed as a road ‘pick,’ 4-3, while losing as a $1.57 home ‘chalk,’ 8-6.
**Tigers (Bonderman) at White Sox (Contreras)**
-LVSC opened Detroit as a $1.15 road favorite over Chicago, with the total set at 10 ‘under’ (minus $1.20). This AL game is slated to start at 8:10 p.m. ET. This is the second-game of a scheduled day-night doubleheader with the White Sox.
-Detroit’s Jeremy Bonderman is getting his first start of the season after rehabbing at Triple-A Toledo. The veteran right-hander is recovering from right shoulder soreness after last summer’s arm surgery.
-His latest effort resulted in a 98-pitch effort Tuesday against Charlotte over eight innings, allowing no runs on six hits with no walks and five strikeouts.
-Bonderman, in the league since 2003, has not started against the White Sox the past few years.
-Chicago counters with Clayton Richard (2-1, 3.77 ERA), hoping the southpaw can rebound from Wednesday’s setback to Oakland as a $1.35 home ‘chalk,’ 5-3. The former Michigan Wolverine was tagged for five runs on seven hits (three home runs) with four walks and four strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings.
-The combined eight runs slithered ‘under’ the 8 ½-run closing total, helping the ‘under’ improve to 3-1 his past four starts.
-Richard, a two-year veteran, has never started against the Tigers in his brief major league career.
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
Tampa Bay (29-29) at N.Y. Yankees (33-23)
The Rays wrap up a three-game set in Yankee Stadium with Andy Sonnanstine (4-5, 7.07 ERA) taking the ball against Yankees’ veteran southpaw Andy Pettitte (5-2, 4.33).
New York scored three runs in the bottom the eighth inning Sunday and beat Tampa Bay 4-3 on after losing Saturday’s opener 9-7. With yesterday’s win, the Yankees snapped a three-game home losing streak to the Rays.
Tampa Bay is just 1-6 in its last seven road games and 2-11 in its last 13 series Game 3s. The Rays are also in a 70-147 funk on the road against teams with a winning record. Conversely, New York is on positive runs of 18-6 overall, 11-4 at home, 46-31 in Game 3 of a series, 8-2 against right-handed starters and 6-1 against the A.L. East, but it is just 6-13 in its last 19 Monday outings.
Tampa Bay is still 5-3 against the Bronx Bombers this season, including 4-1 in the last five. However, the Yankees are still 54-24 in the last 78 meetings in New York, and they are 15-6 in Pettitte’s last 21 starts against the Rays.
Tampa Bay is 5-2 in Sonnanstine’s last seven outings, including Tuesday’s 6-2 victory at home against the Royals when he yielded the two runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings. The last time Sonnanstine pitched on the highway was May 27 when he got rocked in Cleveland for eight runs on nine hits in three innings of a 12-7 loss, falling to 1-5 with a 9.00 ERA in seven road starts this season.
Sonnanstine has already split two games with the Yankees this season, giving up a combined four runs on 10 hits in 12 1/3 innings (2.92 ERA). On May 6 he went to New York and allowed two runs on six hits in 7 1/3 innings, getting a no-decision in the Rays’ 4-3 victory. Tampa is just 2-6 in Sonnanstine’s last eight road starts dating to last season.
Pettitte lost to the Rangers on Wednesday, allowing four runs on seven hits in five innings of a 4-2 loss, snapping a four-game New York winning streak with the veteran on the hill. New York is 15-5 in Pettitte’s last 20 Monday starts and 72-34 in his last 106 home outings, where the lefty is 2-1 with a 5.79 ERA in six contests this season.
Pettitte pitched against the Rays on May 7 and gave up five runs on nine hits in six innings of an 8-6 Yankees’ loss. He’s allowed three runs or more in eight of his last nine appearances against the Rays dating back to 2007.
The Rays have gone over the total in four of Sonnanstine’s last five starts overall but they’ve stayed under the total in seven of his last nine against teams with a winning record. It’s been all “unders” for the Yankees with Pettitte pitching, including 20-17-1 in his last 58 overall, 19-9-1 in his last 29 at home and 17-7-1 when he’s faced the A.L. East. The under is also on streaks of 6-1 when Pettitte has faced the Rays and 8-3 when he’s seen them in New York.
For Tampa Bay as a team, the under is 7-1-1 in its last nine overall, but the “over” is 8-3 in its last 11 on the highway and 4-1 in its last five on Monday. The Yankees have topped the total in nine of their last 14 Monday games and 10 of their last 16 at home against a right-handed starter. Finally, in this rivalry, the over is 9-4 in the last 13 clashes overall and 4-2 in the last six in the Big Apple.
ATS ADVANTAGE: N.Y. YANKEES
Toronto (32-27) at Texas (33-23)
The Blue Jays open a brief four-game road trip in Texas with Casey Janssen (1-2, 5.82 ERA) taking the mound against the Rangers’ Scott Feldman (5-0, 3.79) at Rangers Ballpark..
Toronto completed a nine-game homestand with Sunday’s 4-0 win over the Royals behind another complete-game effort from ace Roy Halladay. The Blue Jays went 5-4 on the homestand but enter this contest having lost nine straight on the highway. Meanwhile, Texas took two of three in Boston over the weekend, including Sunday’s 6-3 upset victory.
Toronto is just 3-13 in its last 16 roadies (including the ongoing nine-game losing skid) and 3-8 in its last 11 against teams with a winning record. Conversely, the Rangers are 12-3 in their last 15 at home, 11-4 in their last 15 series openers and 7-2 in their last nine at home against right-handed pitching.
Texas has dominated the series in the Lone Star State, winning 24 of the last 33 meetings.
Janssen is making just his fourth start of the season and he’s allowed three runs or more in each of the first three, including Wednesday when he got tagged for five runs on seven hits in four innings of an 8-1 loss to the Angels. The right-hander hasn’t faced the Rangers since 2006 when he lost to them twice, allowing a combined 10 runs (nine earned) on 13 hits in 10 innings of work. Toronto is 1-6 in Janssen’s last seven starts overall, 0-5 in his last five against A.L. West teams and 0-4 in his last four roadies (0-1 on the highway this year)..
The Rangers are 7-1 in Feldman’s eight outings this season, including winning the last six in a row. He’s held the opposition to three runs or less in all eight of his starts this season and gave up two runs on five hits in 6 1/3 innings in New York on Wednesday as the Rangers beat the Yankees 4-2. The right-hander is 1-0 with a 4.03 ERA in six appearances (four starts) at home.
Feldman faced the Blue Jays twice at home last season and lost both contests while allowing seven runs on 13 hits in 11 1/3 innings (5.56 ERA). Texas is 3-0 in Feldman’s last three home starts after going 1-10 in his previous 11 at Rangers Ballpark.
The Blue Jays have stayed under the total in four of Janssen’s last six starts overall and five straight when he faces teams with a winning record. With Feldman on the hill, the Rangers are on a plethora of “under” runs as well, including 20-6 overall, 5-0 at home, 8-1 against the A.L. East and 4-0 when he gets four days of rest.
As a team, Toronto is on “under” streaks of 14-6 on Mondays, 5-2 on the road and 4-1 on the highway against right-handed pitching. Texas has topped the total in 19 of its last 29 Monday games, but otherwise is on “under” runs of 20-7-1 overall, 4-1-1 at home, 10-3-1 against teams with winning records and 12-4-1 against right-handed starters.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
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Monday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers
By Covers.com
Streaking
Randy Johnson, San Francisco Giants
After achieving his latest milestone, Randy Johnson is poised to continue his most successful stretch of the season for the San Francisco Giants.
Pitching on three days' rest, the veteran tries for his third straight victory while looking to continue his dominance of the host Florida Marlins in the conclusion of a four-game set Monday night.
Johnson (5-4, 5.12 ERA), who turns 46 in September, became the 24th pitcher to record 300 victories after allowing an unearned run and two hits in six innings of a 5-1 victory over Washington in the first game of a doubleheader on Thursday.
Two months into his 22nd season, Johnson become the first pitcher to get 300 on his first try since Tom Seaver in 1985. He's the sixth left-hander to reach the milestone and the second-oldest pitcher to do it.
"It's a long-range achievement," Johnson said. "It's not a one-game or a one-year achievement, it's a career achievement. I'm going to think about this for a long time.
"I get more gratification out of that because of the way I'm doing it now than the way I did it 10 years ago."
No longer as overpowering as he once was, Johnson is 2-0 with a 1.04 ERA with 14 strikeouts over his last three starts. Despite bruising his shoulder Thursday, Johnson volunteered to make this start rather than force the club to call up a pitcher from the minors for one outing.
Slumping
Armando Galarraga, Detroit Tigers
Detroit, which is coming off Sunday's 9-6 win over the Los Angeles Angels, will give the ball to Armando Galarraga (3-6, 5.31) as he tries to win for the first time in eight starts.
The right-hander is 0-6 with a 7.61 ERA in his last seven outings, including a defeat at Chicago on May 7 when he allowed six runs and six hits in six innings of a 6-0 loss. That rough stretch comes after he went 3-0 with a 1.85 ERA in his first four games of 2009.
Galarraga lost again Wednesday, allowing four runs in seven innings of a 10-5 loss to Boston.
Returning
Jeremy Bonderman, Detroit Tigers
The Tigers hope to get a lift in the second game with the return of Jeremy Bonderman, who is expected to be activated from the disabled list after being sidelined since June 1, 2008, following the discovery of a blood clot in his pitching shoulder.
The right-hander went 3-4 with a 4.29 ERA in 12 starts last year prior to undergoing surgery.
Bonderman was solid in four minor league rehab starts, going 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA and using his changeup more often."It's going to be a different style of game than what I'm used to," Bonderman told the Tigers' official Web site.
Bonderman has lost his last three starts against Chicago, posting a 6.52 ERA.
Baseball Today
SCOREBOARD
Monday, June 8
San Francisco at Florida (7:10 p.m. EDT). Fresh off his 300th win, Randy Johnson(notes) starts on three days’ rest for the Giants. The 45-year-old lefty threw 78 pitches Thursday against Washington, becoming the 24th pitcher to reach the milestone. He hasn’t started on three days’ rest since July 5, 2005, but is 6-1 in nine such starts with a 2.84 ERA.
Detroit at Chicago White Sox (8:10 p.m. EDT). In the second game of a doubleheader, Tigers right-hander Jeremy Bonderman(notes) makes his first big league start in more than a year. Bonderman has been sidelined since June 1, 2008, after a blood clot was discovered in his pitching shoulder.
STARS
Sunday
— Roy Halladay(notes), Blue Jays, pitched a seven-hitter to become the first 10-game winner in the majors, leading Toronto to a 4-0 victory over Kansas City. Halladay (10-1) needed only 97 pitches to record his 43rd career complete game and 12th shutout.
— Mark Reynolds(notes), Diamondbacks, hit a three-run homer off infielder Josh Wilson(notes) with two outs in the 18th inning, sending Arizona to a 9-6 win over San Diego in the longest major league game this season.
— Chipper Jones(notes), Braves, had four hits, including two homers, and matched his career high with five RBIs in Atlanta’s 8-7 comeback win over Milwaukee.
— Alfonso Soriano(notes), Cubs, opened the 14th inning with a home run to lead Chicago past Cincinnati 6-3.
— Nelson Cruz(notes), Rangers, homered, tripled and doubled to help Texas beat the Boston Red Sox 6-3.
— Tim Lincecum(notes), Giants, pitched three-hit ball into the eighth inning to win his fifth consecutive decision as San Francisco beat Florida 3-2. The 2008 NL Cy Young Award winner also doubled and scored.
— Vin Mazzaro(notes), Athletics, pitched into the eighth inning in his second career start and Oakland beat Baltimore 3-0 for its season-high sixth straight win.
— Paul Phillips(notes), Rockies, had a career-best four hits, including his first homer since 2006, and three RBIs in a 7-2 victory at St. Louis.
MILESTONE MAN
Bobby Abreu(notes) doubled for his 2,000th hit in the Los Angeles Angels’ 9-6 loss at Detroit.
MARATHON MEN
Arizona’s 9-6 victory over San Diego lasted 5 hours, 45 minutes. The Padres were held hitless through nine extra innings by four relievers. Their only baserunners in extras came on three walks. It was the longest big league game by time and innings since San Diego beat visiting Cincinnati 12-9 in an 18-inning game that took 5 hours, 57 minutes on May 25, 2008, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Padres have played the two longest games in the majors this year. They beat the Reds 6-5 in a 16-inning game May 16 that lasted 5 hours, 14 minutes.
DEAR ABBEY
Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Neal Huntington wrote an open letter to fans on the team’s Web site explaining the decision to trade All-Star center fielder Nate McLouth(notes) to Atlanta for three prospects wasn’t financially motivated. The Pirates, who traditionally have one of the majors’ lowest payrolls, are averaging a major league-low 16,588 in attendance.
BEANTOWN BOOGIE
Texas took two of three from the Red Sox to win a series in Boston for the first time in 12 years. The Rangers hadn’t won a series at Fenway Park since a three-game sweep in August 1997. They were 0-12-3 in their last 15 series at Boston and 1-9 in their last 10 road games against the Red Sox before Sunday’s win.
NATIONALS NEMESIS
Livan Hernandez(notes) allowed four singles in seven innings and the New York Mets scored five runs in the first to beat Washington 7-0. Hernandez (5-1) walked four and struck out four to win for the fifth time in seven starts. The right-hander has won seven consecutive games against the Nationals and improved to 10-5 lifetime against his former team. Washington lost for the 10th time in 12 games and dropped to 2-7 against the Mets this season.
TOUCH ‘EM ALL
Clete Thomas’(notes) grand slam broke an eighth-inning tie and Detroit beat the Los Angeles Angels 9-6. … Indians rookies Chris Gimenez(notes) and Luis Valbuena(notes) hit consecutive homers off former Cleveland ace Bartolo Colon(notes) in an 8-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Victor Martinez(notes) and Shin-Soo Choo(notes) also hit back-to-back homers off Colon, helping Cleveland win a road series for only the second time this season.
LAUNCHING PAD
Nick Swisher(notes) hit the 100th home run at the new Yankee Stadium, helping Joe Girardi earn his 200th win as a manager in New York’s 4-3 victory over Tampa Bay. There has been at least one homer in all 28 games at the stadium, extending the record for a major league ballpark. Hiram Bithorn Stadium in Puerto Rico opened with long balls in 22 straight games. There were 160 homers last season at the old Yankee Stadium.
QUICK STATS
Oakland has three shutouts this season—all in the last six games. … Texas slugger Nelson Cruz hit his 17th homer, and 10th in his last 17 games, to tie Tampa Bay’s Carlos Pena(notes) and New York’s Mark Teixeira(notes) for the AL lead. … The White Sox are 2 for 39 with runners in scoring position over their last six games. … The Yankees have a major league-high 20 comeback wins. … Philadelphia beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-2, handing ex-Phillies pitcher Randy Wolf(notes) his first loss in 12 starts since April 7, his season debut. … The Rockies have scored 38 runs during their first four-game winning streak of the year and are 6-4 under manager Jim Tracy after going 18-28 under Clint Hurdle.
SPEAKING
“Day in and day out, everybody that gets on first base says he’s the best. The Yankees, the Red Sox, they’re like, ‘It’s not fair.’ I’m glad I’m on his side, not the other side.”—Toronto first baseman Lyle Overbay(notes) on teammate Roy Halladay (10-1), who pitched a seven-hitter in a 4-0 victory over Kansas City to become the first 10-game winner in the majors.