Sunday Night Showcase
By Judd Hall
This Sunday’s primetime showcase gives us a pair of teams that love to hit the really, really hard. It’s also going to highlight a pair of teams that appear to be going in different directions.
No club in the big leagues has hit more than the 42 home runs that Texas (10-12, -144) this season. The Rangers are getting the expected production out of guys they expected to it to come from like Ian Kinsler (.323 batting average, 8 home runs, 22 runs batted in), Michael Young (.315 BA, 6 HR, 12 RBI) and Nelson Cruz (.263 BA, 6 HR, 17 RBI).
The Rangers are also reaping dividends with Andruw Jones. The former Brave and Dodger signed for $500,000 during the offseason and he has responded nicely by hitting .333 with three four-baggers and seven RBI. Jones is getting hits when it counts most as he leads the team with a .714 average, four RBI and seven walks.
Texas’ problems aren’t with the bats, it’s the pitching. They rank 11th in the American League with an earned run average of 5.62. The Rangers will try to knock that number down a peg or two with left-hander Matt Harrison taking the mound in Arlington.
Harrison put together a fine 2008 campaign, going 9-3 with a 5.49 ERA in 83.2 innings of work. 2009 hasn’t started off the way he planned as he’s just 1-2 with a bulbous 7.89 ERA in four starts.
The Rangers aren’t getting much out of Harrison right now since he’s failed to pitch into the sixth inning in each of his last three starts. To be fair, however, he has had to face two of the Top 5 teams against southpaw pitching (Toronto and Detroit).
Lousy pitching has helped watch Texas go 4-5 in its last nine games, while watching the ‘under’ 7-2 in that stretch.
Things look worse when you consider the Rangers are taking on a Chicago (12-10, +198) squad that has won five of their last seven games to stay atop the AL Central. Making matters worse is that the White Sox are 4-1 this season when they take on left-handed pitching. Not a bad record considering they’re 11th in the AL with a .264 batting average against lefties.
The Pale Hose will entrust southpaw John Danks out to the pitching mound. He’s gone 2-1 with a 2.74 ERA, but his club has dropped both games that he pitched against teams with a winning record (Seattle and Kansas City).
Something else to consider before you take the ChiSox at the betting window is that Texas is seeing the ball real well against left-handers. The Rangers are hitting .299 to rank third in that category with an MLB best 11 homers.
Danks is just 1-1 with a 4.05 ERA in two career starts, but has a 16/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in that time against the Rangers. Harrison doesn’t have great memories of the White Sox, giving up five runs in 2.2 innings in his first and only start against the South Siders.
Las Vegas Sports Consultants has installed Chicago as a $1.27 road “chalk” with a total of 10 ½.
Texas has been a home ‘dog just three times this year, going 2-1 in that spot. The ChiSox are 6-4 as road faves.
Outside of Friday’s 4-3 win for the Sox, the home team is 9-4 in the last 13 games between these clubs with the ‘under’ going 8-5 in that timeframe.
Chicago is 7-1 in its last eight games on Sunday; The Rangers are just 1-6 in their last seven matches on Sunday.
Andy Fletcher is scheduled to be the umpire behind home plate for this fixture. And that looks good for bettors of the ‘under’ as it’s cashing at a 6-2-1 clip in his last nine matches when calling balls and strikes.
You can catch this tilt on ESPN, starting at 8:05 p.m. EDT.
vegasinsider.com
Sunday Night Baseball: White Sox at Rangers
By Marc Lawrence
Chicago White Sox at Texas Rangers (+120, 10.5)
It’s the Central against the West in an American League matchup Sunday night when the Rangers play host to the White Sox at The Ballpark in Arlington.
Rangers’ starter Scott Feldman retired 17 of the first 18 batters he faced Friday night in the opener of this series before the White Sox rallied to escape with a 4-3 victory.
Josh watch
The player every fan in America roots the hardest for, Ranger outfielder Josh Hamilton, remains sidelined with a strained rib cage muscle. While he continues to show enough improvement to avoid a trip to the disabled list, he is still not ready to return to the lineup.
"Probably not," Hamilton told reporters if he could play this weekend. "It's getting better. Not doing any baseball activities, I'm probably feeling 60 percent better. That doesn't mean that if I started swinging the bat, I wouldn't go back to where I was before."
Hamilton sustained the injury in Toronto April 21 and last started against the Orioles in Baltimore last Saturday. He pinch-hit Sunday, but he hasn't played since then.
"We'll just see if he makes it through that," manager Ron Washington told the media. "We're still going day-by-day."
Young stuff
Sunday night’s matchup features a pair of promising youngsters. Chicago’s John Danks matches serves with Texas’ Matt Harrison in a battle of young right handers.
Danks (2-1 2.74 ERA) lasted only four innings while yielding five runs and eight hits in a 9-1 loss to the Mariners Tuesday.
"Obviously I didn't expect to go four and give up five runs," Danks told the press. "I felt I had plenty of stuff to give us chance to win and I knew I was up against Felix (Hernandez) and he is one of the best in the game right now. Anytime you give up five runs you can pretty much pack it in. He's that good and I put us in a hole I couldn't get out of and I take full blame for that."
After a commanding start to the season, the bad outing has Danks’ ERA on the rise to 2.74. He is perfect away from U.S Cellular Field this year, going 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA.
Because of Wednesday’s rainout against Oakland, Harrison (1-2 7.89 ERA) gets the start under the Sunday night lights. He comes off his first win of the season against Detroit on Monday. Harrison couldn’t get out of the sixth inning but was in total control the first five.
The history book says…
Heading into the weekend, the White Sox had dropped 11 of the last 16 games in this series, including five of the last six in Arlington. However, Chicago stood 8-2 in its last 10 meetings against teams from the AL West. Texas was on a 1-5 slide against the AL Central.
Chicago shines on Sundays, winning 11 of its last 13 games on the day of rest, including four wins in a row on the Sunday road. On the flip side, Texas is tame on Sundays, going 2-8 the last 10.
Baseball Today
SCOREBOARD
Sunday, May 3
San Diego at L.A. Dodgers (4:10 p.m. EDT). The Dodgers Chad Billingsley tries to improve to 5-0 as he faces the Padres, who are sending Chad Gaudin (0-0) to the mound.
STARS
— Evan Longoria, Rays, extended his torrid hitting against Boston pitching with a grand slam in Tampa Bay’s 6-2 victory.
— Randy Johnson, Giants, gave up four hits and struck out nine over seven scoreless innings in his 297th career victory as San Francisco beat Colorado 3-2.
— Jorge Posada, Yankees, hit a two-run single in the ninth inning off Brian Fuentes, completing New York’s rally from a five-run deficit in a 10-9 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
— Bronson Arroyo, Reds, bounced back from his worst start of the season to limit Pittsburgh to four singles over eight shutout innings in Cincinnati’s 4-0 win.
— Jose Lopez, Mariners, hit an RBI single to right field on the 14th pitch from Russ Springer with two outs in the ninth inning, and Seattle rallied from five runs down to beat the Athletics 8-7.
— Jeff Francoeur, Braves, hit a two-run homer and drove in another run to help the Braves beat the Astros 7-2.
— Albert Pujols, Cardinals, hit one of St. Louis’ season-high four home runs in a 6-2 win over Washington.
STELLAR AT HOME
The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres 1-0 on Friday night to improve to 8-0 at home for the first time since 1947, when the franchise was in Brooklyn. The year before, they set a franchise record by winning their first nine games.
SIDELINED
The Texas Rangers placed outfielder Josh Hamilton on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained left rib cage muscle. The Rangers made the move retroactive to Monday. Hamilton sustained the injury on April 12 in Toronto when he crashed into the outfield wall while chasing a flyball. … Oakland third baseman Eric Chavez is back on the disabled list, with strained right forearm. Chavez played in just eight games and was hitting only .100 (3 for 30), before landing on the DL for the fourth time in the last three years.
STREAKING
Ryan Zimmerman singled in the third inning of Washington’s 6-2 loss to St. Louis on Friday night, extending his hitting streak to a Nationals-record 20 games. It’s the longest streak in the majors this season. The last 20-game hitting streak by a Washington, D.C.-based player came in 1953 by the Washington Senators’ Mickey Vernon.
HOMER HAPPY
New York catcher Jorge Posada’s home run in its 10-9 win over the Angels on Friday night was the 29th homer at the new Yankee Stadium, tying Kansas City’s Municipal Stadium (1955), Houston’s Enron Field (2000) and Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park (2003) for most homers in the first eight games at a major league ballpark, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. It was the 20th homer to right field, where some believe a jet stream is carrying the ball.
SIDELINED CLOSERS
Philadelphia’s Brad Lidge threw before the Phillies’ 7-4 loss to the Mets on Friday night and said he’d be ready to pitch Saturday. Lidge hasn’t appeared in a game since last Saturday because of inflammation in his right knee. … Two Houston team doctors successfully drained 40 cubic centimeters of fluid from Jose Valverde’s right calf on Friday, one day after he had 20 cubic centimeters of fluid removed. Valverde’s expected recovery time is three to five weeks.
RED SOX HITTER
Evan Longoria hit a grand slam in Tampa Bay’s 6-2 win over Boston on Friday night, improving to 10-for-22 with four homers and 13 RBIs against the Red Sox this season.
SEEING THINGS
Brian McCann’s latest experiment with new contact lenses has ended, and the Atlanta Braves’ All-Star catcher plans to try to resume his season while wearing glasses. McCann, who said he has never worn glasses while playing, has had difficulty with blurred vision this season. He was placed on the disabled list on April 25, retroactive to April 23, and tried new contact lenses on a minor league rehabilitation assignment with Class A Myrtle Beach.
SPEAKING
“This shows that we can come back. We can come back against tough teams, and we do have a lot of weapons on this team that could pitch in and contribute for us,”—Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon said after New York rallied from a five-run deficit to beat the Angeles 10-9 Friday night.
CLEVELAND vs. DETROIT
Cleveland is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing Detroit
Cleveland is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games on the road
Detroit is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Cleveland
Detroit is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing Cleveland
LA ANGELS vs. NY YANKEES
LA Angels are 1-3-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing NY Yankees
LA Angels are 2-5-1 SU in their last 8 games on the road
NY Yankees are 4-0-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against LA Angels
NY Yankees are 3-5-1 SU in their last 9 games when playing LA Angels
BALTIMORE vs. TORONTO
Baltimore is 1-5-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Toronto
Baltimore is 0-4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Toronto is 7-1-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Baltimore
Toronto is 2-3-1 SU in its last 6 games
CINCINNATI vs. PITTSBURGH
Cincinnati is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Pittsburgh is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Pittsburgh is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
HOUSTON vs. ATLANTA
Houston is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Houston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Atlanta is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Atlanta is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games at home
NY METS vs. PHILADELPHIA
NY Mets are 2-3-1 SU in its last 6 games
NY Mets are 1-4-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Philadelphia is 1-5-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against NY Mets
Philadelphia is 2-4-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
ST. LOUIS vs. WASHINGTON
St. Louis is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Washington
St. Louis is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing Washington
Washington is 5-13 SU in its last 18 games at home
Washington is 6-19 SU in its last 25 games
BOSTON vs. TAMPA BAY
Boston is 13-3 SU in its last 16 games
Boston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is 13-4 SU in its last 17 games when playing at home against Boston
Tampa Bay is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
ARIZONA vs. MILWAUKEE
Arizona is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Arizona is 6-17 SU in its last 23 games on the road
Milwaukee is 12-6 SU in its last 18 games when playing Arizona
Milwaukee is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Arizona
KANSAS CITY vs. MINNESOTA
Kansas City is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Minnesota
Kansas City is 8-15 SU in its last 23 games when playing Minnesota
Minnesota is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Kansas City
Minnesota is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games at home
FLORIDA vs. CHI CUBS
Florida is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Florida is 14-6 SU in their last 20 games when playing Chi Cubs
Chi Cubs are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing Florida
Chi Cubs are 6-14 SU in their last 20 games when playing Florida
COLORADO vs. SAN FRANCISCO
Colorado is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Colorado is 6-12 SU in its last 18 games
San Francisco is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Colorado
San Francisco is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Colorado
OAKLAND vs. SEATTLE
Oakland is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Oakland is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing Seattle
Seattle is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Seattle is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Oakland
SAN DIEGO vs. LA DODGERS
San Diego is 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Dodgers
San Diego is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games on the road
LA Dodgers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games
LA Dodgers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games at home
CHI WHITE SOX vs. TEXAS
Chi White Sox are 2-6 SU in their last 8 games when playing on the road against Texas
Texas is 6-2 SU in their last 8 games when playing at home against Chi White Sox
HOUSTON (10 - 14) at ATLANTA (11 - 12)
WANDY RODRIGUEZ (L) vs. JO-JO REYES (L)
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 163-180 (-45.9 Units) against the money line in May games since 1997.
ATLANTA is 15-4 (+10.3 Units) against the money line in home games in May games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 96-89 (+17.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 18-11 (+11.0 Units) against the money line when playing on Sunday over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 94-88 (+15.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 53-41 (+17.8 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 83-102 (-27.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 82-100 (-26.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
REYES is 11-23 (-14.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
REYES is 4-12 (-11.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 1-1 (+0.1 Units) against ATLANTA this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.0 Units)
WANDY RODRIGUEZ vs. ATLANTA since 1997
RODRIGUEZ is 2-1 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 6.05 and a WHIP of 1.523.
His team's record is 2-2 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-1. (+1.9 units)
JO-JO REYES vs. HOUSTON since 1997
REYES is 1-1 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 6.43 and a WHIP of 1.857.
His team's record is 1-2 (-2.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+0.9 units)
CINCINNATI (12 - 11) at PITTSBURGH (12 - 11)
JOHNNY CUETO (R) vs. JEFF KARSTENS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 51-70 (-22.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 250-264 (+30.3 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 457-527 (+49.1 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 396-474 (+32.9 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 2-2 (-0.1 Units) against CINCINNATI this season
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.0 Units)
JOHNNY CUETO vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
CUETO is 2-2 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 4.91 and a WHIP of 1.545.
His team's record is 2-2 (-0.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-1. (+2.0 units)
JEFF KARSTENS vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
KARSTENS is 0-1 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 3.86 and a WHIP of 1.286.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)
NY METS (10 - 13) at PHILADELPHIA (12 - 10)
JOHN MAINE (R) vs. JOE BLANTON (R)
Top Trends for this game.
NY METS are 8-21 (-16.4 Units) against the money line on the road with a money line of -100 to -125 over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 80-75 (-26.9 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
NY METS are 64-65 (-18.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 4-10 (-8.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 42-17 (+21.7 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 10 to 10.5 over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 105-60 (+34.7 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Sunday since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
NY METS is 1-1 (+0.0 Units) against PHILADELPHIA this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)
JOHN MAINE vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
MAINE is 5-0 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 2.54 and a WHIP of 1.112.
His team's record is 8-1 (+7.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-3. (+0.8 units)
JOE BLANTON vs. NY METS since 1997
BLANTON is 1-0 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 2.14 and a WHIP of 0.952.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-2. (-1.0 units)
ST LOUIS (17 - 8) at WASHINGTON (6 - 17)
KYLE LOHSE (R) vs. JOHN LANNAN (L)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 93-87 (+35.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 54-40 (+21.2 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 103-84 (+17.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 103-84 (+17.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 65-119 (-33.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 65-116 (-30.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 27-64 (-28.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
LANNAN is 9-27 (-14.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LANNAN is 9-26 (-13.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 2-1 (+0.9 Units) against WASHINGTON this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.9 Units)
KYLE LOHSE vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
LOHSE is 2-1 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 5.46 and a WHIP of 1.276.
His team's record is 5-1 (+3.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-3. (-0.4 units)
JOHN LANNAN vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
LANNAN is 0-2 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 2.84 and a WHIP of 1.421.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-0. (+2.0 units)
ARIZONA (11 - 13) at MILWAUKEE (12 - 12)
YUSMEIRO PETIT (R) vs. DAVE BUSH (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 94-93 (-18.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 37-50 (-16.6 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 94-90 (-14.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 63-67 (-18.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 42-49 (-16.3 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA is 2-1 (+1.4 Units) against MILWAUKEE this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.0 Units)
YUSMEIRO PETIT vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
PETIT is 0-1 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 2.45 and a WHIP of 1.182.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.1 units)
DAVE BUSH vs. ARIZONA since 1997
BUSH is 4-1 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 4.15 and a WHIP of 1.220.
His team's record is 4-1 (+3.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-3. (-1.1 units)
FLORIDA (14 - 10) at CHICAGO CUBS (12 - 11)
RICKY NOLASCO (R) vs. CARLOS ZAMBRANO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA is 43-38 (+17.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 98-87 (+24.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 48-47 (+13.9 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 31-23 (+14.6 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 97-85 (+24.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 68-63 (+11.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
FLORIDA is 49-38 (+17.6 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
NOLASCO is 24-13 (+14.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 7-1 (+8.1 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +125 to +150 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 15-7 (+11.5 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 23-13 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 13-4 (+11.0 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 13-6 (+9.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CHICAGO CUBS are 969-1020 (-187.8 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 117-100 (-43.8 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -150 to -175 since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 519-475 (-112.0 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 381-349 (-75.0 Units) against the money line in home games in day games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 912-936 (-165.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 381-350 (-75.5 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 468-499 (-120.3 Units) against the money line after a win since 1997.
ZAMBRANO is 17-19 (-14.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
ZAMBRANO is 17-19 (-14.3 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
ZAMBRANO is 4-13 (-17.0 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO CUBS is 2-1 (+0.9 Units) against FLORIDA this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)
RICKY NOLASCO vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
NOLASCO is 1-0 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 1.29 and a WHIP of 0.857.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)
CARLOS ZAMBRANO vs. FLORIDA since 1997
ZAMBRANO is 4-2 when starting against FLORIDA with an ERA of 3.47 and a WHIP of 1.400.
His team's record is 7-4 (+4.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-3. (+3.9 units)
COLORADO (9 - 13) at SAN FRANCISCO (11 - 11)
JASON HAMMEL (R) vs. BARRY ZITO (L)
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 82-102 (-27.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 62-124 (-47.0 Units) against the money line in road games in May games since 1997.
COLORADO is 23-35 (-17.7 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 82-102 (-27.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 1-1 (+0.2 Units) against SAN FRANCISCO this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.0 Units)
JASON HAMMEL vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
No recent starts.
BARRY ZITO vs. COLORADO since 1997
ZITO is 2-2 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 2.57 and a WHIP of 1.122.
His team's record is 5-2 (+4.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-5. (-4.3 units)
SAN DIEGO (11 - 13) at LA DODGERS (17 - 8)
CHAD GAUDIN (R) vs. CHAD BILLINGSLEY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 25-53 (-25.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 74-111 (-36.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 74-111 (-36.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 48-71 (-20.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 9-0 (+9.0 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
LA DODGERS are 32-12 (+15.8 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 9-0 (+9.0 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents this season.
LA DODGERS are 9-0 (+9.0 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season.
GAUDIN is 12-3 (+11.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
GAUDIN is 7-0 (+10.1 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
Head-to-Head Series History
LA DODGERS is 5-2 (+2.5 Units) against SAN DIEGO this season
6 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+4.9 Units)
CHAD GAUDIN vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
No recent starts.
CHAD BILLINGSLEY vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
BILLINGSLEY is 5-3 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 2.60 and a WHIP of 1.247.
His team's record is 6-4 (+0.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-7. (-4.6 units)
LA ANGELS (10 - 13) at NY YANKEES (13 - 11)
JOE SAUNDERS (L) vs. PHIL HUGHES (R)
Top Trends for this game.
LA ANGELS are 111-78 (+19.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 55-39 (+18.6 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 86-71 (+27.6 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Sunday since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 35-15 (+20.9 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 105-68 (+23.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 38-27 (+12.3 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 35-20 (+16.9 Units) against the money line in road games after a win over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 50-36 (+12.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
SAUNDERS is 27-10 (+14.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAUNDERS is 14-4 (+10.7 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAUNDERS is 26-9 (+14.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAUNDERS is 19-7 (+11.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NY YANKEES are 209-141 (-63.7 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 10 to 10.5 since 1997.
NY YANKEES are 83-75 (-50.3 Units) against the money line in home games in May games since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
LA ANGELS is 1-2 (+0.3 Units) against NY YANKEES this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.1 Units)
JOE SAUNDERS vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
SAUNDERS is 1-1 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 7.63 and a WHIP of 1.761.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-2. (-1.0 units)
PHIL HUGHES vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
HUGHES is 0-0 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 7.11 and a WHIP of 1.422.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)
CLEVELAND (9 - 15) at DETROIT (12 - 11)
CLIFF LEE (L) vs. JUSTIN VERLANDER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 25-38 (-18.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 24-35 (-15.0 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
LEE is 14-5 (+10.0 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LEE is 22-11 (+14.3 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
LEE is 43-25 (+20.8 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)
DETROIT is 86-99 (-30.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 41-50 (-18.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 31-48 (-28.8 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 80-85 (-23.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
VERLANDER is 16-22 (-12.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
VERLANDER is 5-14 (-14.3 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
VERLANDER is 15-20 (-11.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 1-1 (+0.5 Units) against DETROIT this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.1 Units)
CLIFF LEE vs. DETROIT since 1997
LEE is 5-6 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 5.21 and a WHIP of 1.500.
His team's record is 6-11 (-8.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-10. (-6.1 units)
JUSTIN VERLANDER vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
VERLANDER is 4-10 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 6.70 and a WHIP of 1.488.
His team's record is 4-11 (-9.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-10. (-6.8 units)
BALTIMORE (9 - 15) at TORONTO (17 - 9)
JEREMY GUTHRIE (R) vs. SCOTT RICHMOND (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BALTIMORE is 5-23 (-18.6 Units) against the money line when playing on Sunday over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 26-58 (-24.4 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 14-40 (-25.0 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 124-233 (-104.5 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 62-118 (-39.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 22-10 (+12.2 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 39-23 (+16.5 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 77-59 (+13.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 138-165 (-59.7 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 10 to 10.5 since 1997.
Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against BALTIMORE this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.1 Units, Under=-0.3 Units)
JEREMY GUTHRIE vs. TORONTO since 1997
GUTHRIE is 1-2 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 3.09 and a WHIP of 1.008.
His team's record is 2-5 (-3.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-2. (+2.9 units)
SCOTT RICHMOND vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
RICHMOND is 1-0 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 0.667.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)
BOSTON (15 - 9) at TAMPA BAY (10 - 15)
BRAD PENNY (R) vs. JAMES SHIELDS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 5-15 (-11.5 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 9-20 (-12.9 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 115-88 (+21.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 25-4 (+18.4 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -150 to -175 over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 66-33 (+25.1 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 53-38 (+18.1 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 67-36 (+22.5 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 71-41 (+21.8 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 86-52 (+30.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 43-18 (+21.6 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
SHIELDS is 14-1 (+12.4 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -150 to -175 over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
BOSTON is 50-22 (+23.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 4-2 (+2.8 Units) against BOSTON this season
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.4 Units)
BRAD PENNY vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
PENNY is 1-2 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 4.50 and a WHIP of 1.167.
His team's record is 1-2 (-2.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+1.0 units)
JAMES SHIELDS vs. BOSTON since 1997
SHIELDS is 2-7 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 5.13 and a WHIP of 1.391.
His team's record is 2-9 (-7.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 7-4. (+2.2 units)
KANSAS CITY (13 - 11) at MINNESOTA (12 - 12)
GIL MECHE (R) vs. SCOTT BAKER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 27-12 (+13.9 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 19-7 (+11.1 Units) against the money line at home with a money line of -100 to -125 over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 62-35 (+18.5 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 64-37 (+19.0 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 64-40 (+15.9 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 46-34 (+22.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 24-12 (+15.1 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 3 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 22-19 (+14.2 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 54-55 (+16.5 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 3 seasons.
MECHE is 22-14 (+13.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS CITY is 1-1 (+0.5 Units) against MINNESOTA this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.0 Units)
GIL MECHE vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
MECHE is 7-5 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 4.53 and a WHIP of 1.356.
His team's record is 9-7 (+1.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 10-6. (+3.2 units)
SCOTT BAKER vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
BAKER is 5-2 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 2.60 and a WHIP of 0.882.
His team's record is 6-3 (+1.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-8. (-7.3 units)
OAKLAND (9 - 12) at SEATTLE (14 - 10)
JOSH OUTMAN (L) vs. CHRIS JAKUBAUSKAS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 7-22 (-14.0 Units) against the money line in road games in day games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 75-111 (-32.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 9-21 (-14.0 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 68-102 (-32.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 43-68 (-23.3 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 4-1 (+3.0 Units) against OAKLAND this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)
JOSH OUTMAN vs. SEATTLE since 1997
OUTMAN is 0-1 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 5.23 and a WHIP of 1.646.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)
CHRIS JAKUBAUSKAS vs. OAKLAND since 1997
No recent starts.
CHI WHITE SOX (12 - 11) at TEXAS (11 - 12)
JOHN DANKS (L) vs. MATT HARRISON (L)
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 20-11 (+13.4 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 155-164 (+13.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
TEXAS is 68-66 (+10.6 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 95-68 (+18.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 56-33 (+20.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 1-1 (+0.0 Units) against CHI WHITE SOX this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.1 Units)
JOHN DANKS vs. TEXAS since 1997
DANKS is 1-1 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 4.05 and a WHIP of 1.124.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.2 units)
MATT HARRISON vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
HARRISON is 0-0 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 16.85 and a WHIP of 3.371.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)
National League
HOUSTON at ATLANTA
RODRIGUEZ: Houston 10-2 Under when the total is 8 to 8.5
REYES: 11-23 TSR in all games
CINCINNATI at PITTSBURGH
CUETO: 8-0 Under after giving up 1 or less ER last outing
KARSTENS: 1-5 TSR as home underdog
NY METS at PHILADELPHIA
MAINE: Mets 11-0 if bullpen threw 6+ innings last game
BLANTON: Philadelphia 21-9 Over off one run win
ST LOUIS at WASHINGTON
LOHSE: StL 12-4 when the money line is +125 to -125
LANNAN: 9-27 TSR in all games
ARIZONA at MILWAUKEE
PETIT: Arizona 17-37 Away off BB Unders
BUSH: 15-3 Over in home games
FLORIDA at CHICAGO CUBS
NOLASCO: 11-5 TSR as road underdog
ZAMBRANO: 4-13 TSR at home vs. team w/ winning record
COLORADO at SAN FRANCISCO
HAMMEL: Col 18-5 after allowing 1 run or less in a division win
ZITO: SF 31-11 Under revenging loss as home favorite
SAN DIEGO at LA DODGERS
GAUDIN: 7-0 TSR Away when the total is 7 to 8.5
BILLINGSLEY: LAD 11-23 after scoring 2 runs or less BB games
American League
LA ANGELS at NY YANKEES
SAUNDERS: 9-1 TSR as an underdog
HUGHES: Yankees 1-9 off 5+ Overs
CLEVELAND at DETROIT
LEE: 14-5 TSR in road games
VERLANDER: 5-14 TSR vs. division
BALTIMORE at TORONTO
GUTHRIE: Baltimore 5-23 on Sundays
RICHMOND: Tor 21-8 Under at home in May
BOSTON at TAMPA BAY
PENNY: Boston 9-20 on artificial turf
SHIELDS: TB 35-4 as a home favorite of -150 or more
KANSAS CITY at MINNESOTA
MECHE: 16-10 TSR as an underdog
BAKER: Min 3-14 revenging loss where opp scored 10+ runs
OAKLAND at SEATTLE
OUTMAN: Oakland 63-40 Under as underdog
JAKUBAUSKAS: Seattle 8-26 off blown save
CHI WHITE SOX at TEXAS
DANKS: White Sox 2-6 at Texas
HARRISON: 8-2 TSR as underdog
Tips and Trends
New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies
Mets (-115, O/U 10.5): John Maine (1-2, 5.40 ERA) got off to a rocky start, going 0-2 with a 7.47 ERA in his first three outings. He failed to make it through six innings in any of them. Maine finally broke through on Monday, giving up just one hit and a run in six innings in a 7-1 win against Florida. "I think my first few starts I was really rushing myself," Maine said. "For some reason, I just get a little too excited out there." The right-hander is 5-0 with a 2.54 ERA in nine career starts against the Phillies, limiting them to a .211 batting average.
The Mets are 1-11 in their last 12 in game 3 of a series.
The Under is 8-1-1 in the Mets' last 10 games as a favorite.
Key Injuries - 1B Carlos Delgado (hip) is DOUBTFUL.
PROJECTED SCORE: 4
Phillies: Joe Blanton (0-2, 8.41) is still looking for his first victory, and he took a step back in his last outing after a pair of effective starts. The right-hander gave up six runs and eight hits - including three homers - in Philadelphia's 13-11 win over Washington on Monday. "Where do we start?" Blanton said. "I was terrible. I pretty much stunk. I was missing my spots and getting too much of the plate. It was probably the worst start I've had here." Blanton owns a 2.14 ERA in 3 career starts vs. the Mets. Shane Victorino is hitting .316 (6-for-19) with a homer against John Maine.
The Phillies are 14-3 in their last 17 games as a home underdog.
The Phillies are 8-1 in Blanton's last 9 home starts.
Key Injuries - 2B Chase Utley (foot) is PROBABLE
PROJECTED SCORE: 6 (Side Play of the Day)