Sunday's Best MLB Bets
Minnesota Twins at Toronto Blue Jays (-135, 9)
The Jays have outscored Minnesota 19-4 in two games, and they go for the three-game sweep behind lefty Brett Cecil.
Cecil was outstanding in winning his only start against the Twins last year. He allowed one run and four hits over seven innings, striking out two and walking one.
The Twins counter with righty Nick Blackburn, who had a stellar spring. He pitched well against the Jays last year, allowing two runs over seven innings but taking a loss.
But it’s hard to buck the Jays right now. Toronto is 11-1 in its last 12 games against right-handed starters, and 8-1 in its last nine home games dating to last season.
So far in 2011, the Jays are batting .364 and slugging .818. Catcher J.P. Arencibia already has two homers, a triple and five RBIs
Pick: Toronto
Los Angeles Angels at Kansas City Royals (-106, 9.5)
Mediocre Bruce Chen faces struggling Scott Kazmir, and there should be some fireworks in this battle of lefties.
Kazmir didn’t fool anyone this spring. He posted a 7.79 ERA while striking out 10 and walking 12. It came as no surprise; his ERA has risen four straight seasons now.
The Over is 6-2-1 in Kazmir’s last nine road starts.
Even if the Royals don’t pound Kazmir, they should have success against the Angels’ bullpen, which has looked shaky in all three games so far.
Chen overachieved last year, going 12-7 with a 4.14 ERA. He is eminently hittable and the Angels should take out some frustration after a 1-2 start.
Pick: Over
Sunday Night Baseball: Giants at Dodgers
THE STORY: The visiting San Francisco Giants look for a split of their season-opening series with the host Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. The Giants committed five errors in their first two games, but dominated the Dodgers 10-0 on Saturday as Matt Cain threw six scoreless innings. Aubrey Huff and Freddy Sanchez drove in three runs apiece. Dodgers’ starter Ted Lilly was unable to follow the strong outings by Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley, getting touched for four runs over 4 2/3 innings.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
ODDS: The Dodgers are favored at -139, with a total of 7.5
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Barry Zito (2010: 9-14, 4.15 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Hiroki Kuroda (2010: 11-13, 3.39 ERA). Zito was involved in a two-car accident in Los Angeles on Wednesday and walked away with a stiff neck, but is expected to make the start. Zito finished spring training with a 2.30 ERA in 27 1/3 innings, and is 6-8 lifetime against the Dodgers with a 3.83 ERA. Rafael Furcal is 13-for-38 (.342) against Zito, while Rod Barajas is 11-for-35 (.314) with three home runs and six RBIs. James Loney is 2-for-26 (.077), and Andre Ethier is 5-for-29 (.172). Kuroda, who went 0-3 with a 5.88 ERA in six spring training starts, is 2-2 with a 3.56 ERA in seven career starts against San Francisco. He has been especially impressive over his last three starts against the Giants with a 2.42 ERA. Miguel Tejada is 2-for-14 (.143) against Kuroda, while Freddy Sanchez is 2-for-12 (.167).
ABOUT THE DODGERS (2-1): It turns out Matt Kemp can’t do everything, even it looked that way in the first two games. On Saturday, the Dodgers trotted out a lineup that included five reserve players with Rod Barajas and Rafael Furcal getting the day off and Casey Blake, Jay Gibbons and Juan Uribe out with injuries. Kemp, who reached base in six of his first eight plate appearances, went 1-for-3 with a double on Saturday. Uribe is day to day after being hit on the elbow by Tim Lincecum in the opener. His absence has resulted in more playing time for Ivan DeJesus and Aaron Miles, but the two are a combined 1-for-15.
ABOUT THE GIANTS (1-2): Manager Bruce Bochy started Mark DeRosa at third base and Aaron Rowand in center field Saturday, but expect Pablo Sandoval and Andres Torres to be back in the starting lineup Sunday. DeRosa and Rowand had two hits apiece, while Miguel Tejada went 2-for-5 with two RBIs in the leadoff spot. Rookie first baseman Brandon Belt had his first stolen base Saturday, and he is 2-for-10 through three games. After going hitless in his first nine at-bats, Huff was 2-for-4 with three RBIs Saturday. The Giants bullpen has allowed only one run in 6 1/3 innings.
BETTING TRENDS:
--Giants are 1-8 in Zito's last nine starts.
--Giants are 0-5 in Zito's last five starts as an underdog.
--Dodgers are 19-9 in Kuroda's last 28 starts as a favorite.
--Under is 7-1 in Kuroda's last eight starts with a total between 7 and 8.5.
--Under is 7-3 in Kuroda's last 10 starts on grass.
--Under is 5-0-2 in Zito's last seven road starts vs. Dodgers.
--Under is 14-6 in Zito's last 20 road starts with a total between 7 and 8.5.
FINAL PITCH: After a shaky first outing, Zito was the Giants’ best starter during spring training. For the Dodgers, it has become clear even after only three games how important Uribe is to the team’s success. However, it’s still unclear if he’ll be available Sunday as he continues to nurse a bruised left elbow.
Giants, Dodgers conclude series
By: Stephen Nover
The San Francisco Giants enjoyed a wonderful, magical year last season. Unfortunately for them, it’s 2011 and things aren’t starting very well.
The Giants will play the finale of this four-game series Sunday night game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Game time from Dodger Stadium is 5 p.m. (PT) with ESPN2 televising.
Not the greatest of hitting clubs, the Giants’ defense has been shoddy. They’ve committed five errors en route to losing the first two games of the series.
San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy is hoping Barry Zito can make the start versus the Dodgers’ Hiroki Kuroda.
Zito was involved in a two-car accident this past Wednesday night. He was taken to a hospital for a precautionary examination and released. He showed up to the stadium on Thursday wearing a neck brace.
Zito, who turns 33 next month, threw between 35 and 40 pitches on Friday in an effort to show he’s OK. He said his neck felt good after the pitching session.
“I was encouraged by it,” Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti was quoted as saying following Zito’s workout. “I was expecting a stiffer guy.”
Until Philadelphia added Cliff Lee to go with Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, Roy Oswalt and Joe Blanton, the Giants had the top starting pitching staff in the majors.
Zito, though, is considered the weak link. He was dropped from last year’s postseason pitching staff after posting a 9-14 record with a 4.15 ERA during the regular season. His 1.79 strikeout-per-walk ratio rated 80th of 92 qualified starters
The Giants have lost eight of Zito’s past nine outings and are 0-6 during his past six division starts.
Zito started last year by going 6-1 with a 2.15 ERA in his first eight starts, but finished 1-8 with a 6.80 ERA in his last 10 games. That included nine starts.
Striving to justify his $126 million contract, Zito was San Francisco’s only starter to work six innings twice in Cactus League exhibitions.
The lefty faced the Dodgers six times last season and San Francisco lost on five occasions. However, only once in the six games did Zito allow more than two runs.
Lifetime versus the Dodgers, Zito is 6-8 with a 3.83. The ‘under’ is 12-1-3 in Zito’s last 16 starts against Los Angeles.
Giants pitchers will have to deal with outfielder Matt Kemp, who entered the weekend hitting .322 with three homers, 22 runs scored and 13 RBIs in his last 33 home games against San Francisco.
Kuroda is 2-2 career-wise versus San Francisco with a 3.56 ERA. He started one game against the Giants last season and lost, 3-0, as a 135 home favorite opposing Jonathan Sanchez. The combined three runs went ‘under’ the seven-run total.
Kuroda gave up three earned runs to the Giants in eight innings, allowing six hits with eight strikeouts and three walks.
Los Angeles has won seven of the last nine times Kuroda has gone against a foe with a losing record. The 36-year right-hander was 11-13 with a 3.39 ERA in 2010. He was 6-6 at Dodger Stadium with a 3.10 ERA.
Kuroda, from Osaka, Japan, is 28-30 in his career with a 3.60 ERA and 1.18 WHIP.
Adrian Johnson is slated to be the home plate umpire, with the ‘under’ going 7-3 the last 10 times he has been behind the dish. The ‘under’ was 18-16 in Johnson’s 34 games behind the plate last year.
Dodgers infielder Juan Uribe, who spent the previous two years with the Giants, is dealing with an elbow injury after getting hit by a pitch by Tim Lincecum during Thursday’s opener.