Sunday's Tip Sheet
By Brad Young
Interleague action continues around baseball, but Sunday’s action marks the end of a series before teams play other teams on Monday. There are plenty of matchups to choose from Sunday’s full slate, but here are four games of interest on the schedule.
**Braves (Jurrjens) at Red Sox (Wakefield)**
-The Las Vegas Hilton installed Boston as a $1.30 home ‘chalk’ over Atlanta, with the total set at nine ‘over’ (minus $1.15). This interleague action is slated to start at 1:35 p.m. ET.
-Atlanta’s Jair Jurrjens (5-5, 2.89 ERA) heads to the hill currently mired in a personal three-game losing streak. The Netherlands Antilles native fell to Cincinnati Tuesday as a $1.25 road favorite, 7-2. The righty went just two innings, allowing one run on two hits with a walk and a strikeout. The 6-foot-1 hurler left the game after a lengthy rain delay, but he was still saddled with the loss.
-The combined nine runs eclipsed the eight-run closing total, ending back-to-back ‘under’ outings for the 23-year-old.
-Jurrjens, a three-year veteran, has never started against the Red Sox.
-Boston knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (9-3, 4.39 ERA) is riding a personal three-game winning streak after knocking off Florida Tuesday as a $1.65 home ‘chalk,’ 8-2. The right-hander pitched was reached for two runs on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts over six innings.
-The combined 10 runs slithered ‘over’ the 9 ½-run closing total.
-Wakefield, pitching in the majors since 1992, has not started against the Braves the previous few seasons.
**Indians (Sowers) at Cubs (Wells)**
-The Las Vegas Hilton lists Chicago as a $1.55 home favorite over Cleveland, with first pitch scheduled for 2:20 p.m. ET. Wrigley Field totals are not released until game day due to the unpredictable direction of the wind.
-Cleveland southpaw Jeremy Sowers (0-4, 6.00 ERA) continued his downward spiral with Tuesday’s setback to Milwaukee as a $1.30 home underdog, 7-5. The Vanderbilt product tossed five innings, surrendering three runs on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
-The combined 12 runs toppled the nine-run closing total, ending a string of three straight ‘under’ outings for the four-year veteran.
-Sowers has not started against the Cubs the previous few seasons.
-Chicago gives the starting assignment to Randy Wells (0-3, 2.55 ERA), hoping the right-hander can get into the win column. The 26-year-old fell to Minnesota Monday as a $1.30 home favorite, 7-4, lasting just 3 2/3 innings while yielding four runs on seven hits (one home run) with two walks and a strikeout.
-The combined 11 runs eclipsed the 8 ½-run closing total, helping the ‘over’ occur his third consecutive contest.
-Wells, a second-year player, has never started against the Indians.
**Yankees (Sabathia) at Marlins (Volstad)**
-The Las Vegas Hilton opened New York as a $1.70 road ‘chalk’ over Florida, with the total set at 8 ½ ‘over’ (minus $1.20). This game is scheduled to begin at 5:05 p.m. ET.
-New York hurler CC Sabathia (6-4, 3.67 ERA) toes the rubber fresh off of Tuesday’s victory over Washington as an overwhelming $3.80 favorite, 5-3. The portly left-hander went 7 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits (one home run) with a walk and two strikeouts.
-The combined eight runs went ‘under’ the 10-run closing total, helping the ‘under’ cash his second straight start.
-Sabathia has not started against the Marlins the previous few years.
-Florida righty Chris Volstad (4-7, 4.75 ERA) suffered his fourth straight setback in Tuesday’s matchup against Boston as a $1.55 road underdog, 8-2. The towering 6-foot-8 hurler lasted just 3 2/3 innings, surrendering eight runs on nine hits (one home run) wth two walks and two strikeouts.
-The combined 10 runs eclipsed the 9 ½-run closing total, helping the ‘over’ cash his second straight outing.
-Volstad, a second-year pitcher, has never started against the Yankees.
**Dodgers (Kershaw) at Angels (Lackey)**
-The Las Vegas Hilton lists the Angels as a $1.30 home favorite over the Dodgers, with the total set at 8 ½. ESPN will provide coverage of this contest beginning at 8:05 p.m. ET.
-The Dodgers give the starting assignment to Clay Kershaw (3-5, 4.13 ERA), hoping the left-hander can get back on the winning track. The 21-year-old is 0-2 his last three starts after picking up a no-decision in Tuesday’s effort against Oakland.
-The second-year pitcher tossed 5 2/3 innings of scoreless ball on four hits with three walks and eight strikeouts. The Dodgers eventually won that contest as a $1.45 home ‘chalk,’ 5-4, while the combined nine runs went ‘over’ the 7 ½-run closing total.
-Kershaw received a no-decision against the Angels May 22, going five innings while allowing one run on four hits with four walks and three strikeouts. The Dodgers eventually dropped that affair as a $1.25 home favorite, 3-1, while the combined four runs went ‘under’ the 7 ½-run closing total.
-The Angels’ John Lackey (2-2, 6.10 ERA) is coming off of Monday’s victory over San Francisco as a $1.25 road favorite, 9-7. The veteran right-hander was reached for three runs on 10 hits (one home run) with no walks and 10 strikeouts over seven innings.
-The combined 16 runs eclipsed the 8 ½-run closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 5-1 his last six starts.
-Lackey picked up a no-decision against the Dodgers May 23 by pitching seven innings, surrendering three runs on seven hits with a walk and five strikeouts. The Angels eventually dropped that matchup as a $1.10 road underdog, 5-4, while the combined nine runs went ‘over’ the eight-run closing total.
vegasinsider.com
Sunday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers
By Covers.com
Streaking
Gil Meche (Kansas City Royals)
Gil Meche is sometimes forgotten in the Royals rotation after what Zack Greinke has accomplished this season. That diversion could be why the right-hander has quietly built a 2-0 record and an ERA under 1.00 in his past four starts.
Meche hasn’t given up an earned run in his last two outings, most recently pitching a complete-game shutout against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He allowed just four hits and struck out six batters. During this current hot stretch, he has totaled 26 K’s while walking 11 batters.
"The crowd kind of carries you through it." Meche told reporters after Tuesday’s start. "It's kind of funny, I was running out there and the crowd stands up and starts cheering.”
Ricky Romero (Toronto Blue Jays)
No rotation has been bitten harder by the injury bug than the Toronto Blue Jays. However, if Ricky Romero continues to perform at his current level, the Jays may just weather this storm.
The rookie is coming off an impressive display against the defending World Series champs. He went seven innings, giving up three runs on six hits while striking out a career-high nine batters in Toronto’s 8-3 extra-innings win over Philadelphia Tuesday.
While he earned a no-decision in that game, Romero has given up seven earned runs in his last 20 1-3 innings of work for 1-1 record and an ERA just over 3.00. Run support has spoiled many of the left-hander’s gems this season and put a damper on his strikeout-to-walk tally of 20-to-6 in the last three games.
Slumping
Mark Buehrle (Chicago White Sox)
Mark Buehrle has dominated the headlines this past week. However, none of the attention is due to his pitching.
The ChiSox ace has been vocal over two of sports’ biggest issues this week, commenting on Sammy Sosa’s steroid use and Michael Vick’s return to the NFL. Buehrle even got some praise for belting his first-career home run in his most recent start.
What the papers didn’t tell you is that the southpaw gave up four runs – on three home runs – in six innings of work, dropping his record to 0-1 in his past three trips to the mound. The White Sox are 1-2 in those games, watching Buehrle serve up five dingers and post an ERA of 5.75 in that span.
Wandy Rodriguez (Houston Astros)
In a down year for the Astros, Wandy Rodriguez was a ray of hope for bettors. Behind faltering ace Roy Oswalt, the left-hander started the season by helping Houston win seven of his first nine 2009 starts.
Since recording his fifth win of the year on May 20, Rodriguez hasn’t added to that total. In his last five starts, he is 0-4 with an ERA just below 7.00.
His most recent trip to the mound lasted only four innings. Rodriguez surrendered six hits, including three home runs, for six runs to the Texas Rangers.
Milwaukee (37-31) at Detroit (37-31)
The leaders of the A.L. and N.L. Central Divisions wrap up their three-game series with a pair of aces on the mound, as the Tigers’ Justin Verlander (7-3, 3.39 ERA) opposes Yovani Gallardo (7-3, 2.93) at Comerica Park.
Detroit followed up Friday’s 10-4, rain-shortened victory with Saturday’s 9-5 rout, winning for the third straight game while scoring 25 runs in the process. Jim Leyland’s club carries positive streaks of 48-21 in interleague action, 39-13 in home interleague contests and 8-2 on Sunday, but it is still just 4-6 in its last 10 at home and 3-6 in its last nine at Comerica against right-handers.
Milwaukee has followed up a three-game sweep in Cleveland with the consecutive losses to the Tigers and is now 4-8 in its last 12 contests. Also, in interleague play, the Brew Crew is mired in slumps of 4-11 on the highway and 1-7 against right-handed starters.
These teams split six total meetings in 2006 and 2007, with the visitor going 4-2.
Detroit is 1-2 in Verlander’s last three starts, following a 7-1 run behind the 26-year-old. On Tuesday at St. Louis, the right-hander allowed five runs on eight hits and two walks in just four innings of an 11-2 loss. Prior to that, Verlander had thrown nine straight quality starts, going 7-0 with a 1.10 ERA.
Verlander is 3-0 with a 0.82 ERA in three home starts this year. And in his lone start against Milwaukee, he threw a complete-game shutout in a 4-0 home win two years ago. Detroit is 8-3 in Verlander’s last 11 starts overall and 5-1 in his last six home starts.
Milwaukee is 8-2 in Gallardo’s last 10 starts, including Tuesday’s 7-5 victory at Cleveland in which the right-hander allowed two runs on five hits with six walks and eight strikeouts. Gallardo has given up two earned runs or less in each of his last five starts, going 3-1 with a stifling 1.43 ERA. Gallardo is 4-1 with a 2.89 ERA in seven road starts this year, and this is his first meeting against Detroit.
With Gallardo starting, the Brewers are on runs of 5-0 against winning teams and 4-1 on the highway.
Although Saturday’s game easily went over the total, the Tigers sport nothing but “under” trends, including 21-11 overall, 10-4 at home, 8-4 against right-handed starters, 7-4 in interleague play and 5-0 in Verlander’s last five home starts. On the flip side, the over for Milwaukee is on runs of 6-0 overall (all against the A.L. Central and all on the road. However, with Gallardo pitching, the under is on streaks of 15-7 overall, 11-3 and 7-1 against winning teams.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
L.A. Dodgers (45-24) at L.A. Angels (36-30)
The Dodgers, with the best record in the majors, wrap up their three-game weekend set against the Angels by pitting left-hander Clayton Kershaw (3-5, 4.13 ERA) against veteran right-hander John Lackey (2-2, 6.10) in Anaheim.
The Dodgers halted their rivals seven-game winning streak with last night’s 6-2 victory, as veteran right-hander Jeff Weaver outdueled younger brother Jered Weaver. The Dodgers are now 12-5 in their last 17 road games, but they remain on interleague slides of 21-44 overall (6-5 this year) and 14-38 on the road (3-2 this year).
Although their winning streak ended Saturday, the Angels continue to sport positive streaks of 5-1 at home, 8-2 in interleague play this season (all against the N.L. West), 39-18 overall in interleague action and 19-8 versus the N.L. West.
The Angels have owned this rivalry lately, with runs of 13-6 overall (3-2 this season), 21-8 in Anaheim, 5-1 with Lackey starting against the Dodgers and 4-0 in Lackey’s last five against the Dodgers at home.
Lackey beat San Francisco 9-7 victory on Monday, allowing three runs on 10 hits with no walks and 10 strikeouts in seven innings. In his lone home start this season, Lackey lost 5-2 to Seattle on May 29. However, he’s 5-1 with a solid 1.50 ERA in nine career appearances (eight starts) against the Dodgers. On May 23, he got a no-decision at Dodger Stadium, allowing three runs in seven innings, with the Angels falling 5-4.
With Lackey taking the ball, the Angels are on runs of 17-5 in interleague play and 18-7 on Sunday, but they are also on skids of 4-10 overall and 0-4 at home.
Kershaw rebounded from two straight losses by leading the Dodgers to a 5-4 home win over Oakland on Tuesday, throwing 5 2/3 shutout innings as he worked four hits and three walks around 10 strikeouts, but he got a no-decision. The 21-year-old is 2-3 with an inflated 6.75 ERA in six road starts this season, and in his only career start against the Angels, he got a no-decision in a 3-1 defeat, giving up a run on four hits and four walks in five innings.
With Kershaw on the hill, the Dodgers are on slides of 1-4 against winning teams and 1-4 in interleague play, though they have won four of his last five Sunday starts.
The Dodgers are on “under” runs of 6-2 on the highway, 12-5 in interleague action, 38-16-3 in American League parks and 13-7 versus the N.L. West. Also, the under for the Angels is on stretches of 11-6 at home, 5-1 in Lackey’s last six home starts, 16-5-3 behind Lackey in interleague play and 7-1 with Lackey facing the Dodgers.
Finally, although the first two games of this weekend set have gone over the total, the under is still 9-6 in the last 15 meetings overall and 14-7-1 in the last 22 battles in Anaheim.
ATS ADVANTAGE: L.A. ANGELS and UNDER
Gametimepicks.com
Sunday Night Baseball: Dodgers at Angels
By Marc Lawrence
Los Angeles Dodgers at Los Angeles Angels (-126, 8.5)
The City of Angels serves as the backdrop for Sunday night’s MLB on ESPN, where the Angels host the Dodgers in a battle of cross-town rivals.
The Halos send staff ace John Lackey (2-2 6.10 ERA) to the mound against Dodger left hander Clayton Kershaw (3-5 4.13 ERA) in a matchup of two arms that appear to be rounding into form.
Take two
These inter-city rivals squared off earlier this year when the Angels won two of three games at Chavez Ravine, improving to 12-5 in the previous 17 meetings in this series. Prior to the start of this series, the Halos had won seven of the last eight games as a series host.
The Los Angeles Angels were prohibitive favorites to win the American League West but struggled early on. The starting pitching staff has been the main culprit, as they sent a league-high 11 starters to the hill this season.
To make matters worse, the bullpen suffered a major setback when Scot Shields’ season was cut short with a knee injury.
"I wanted to keep playing, but the pain didn't go away at all,” Shields told reporters.
Shields pitched 425 innings between 2004 and 2008, the most of any reliever.
Look out, here we come
The Angels entered the weekend riding a season-high six-game win streak. During the surge they plated 47 runs (7.8 per game) on 78 hits, including 35 extra-base hits (15 home runs) and a .421 batting average with runners in scoring position.
Torii Hunter has been having the best year of his career. The gold glove CF was hitting .321 BA with 16 HR’s and 51 RBI’s and a slugging percentage of .615 prior to the start of this series.
Hunter has filled the void left by Vladimir Guerrero this season. Guerrero was limited to pinch hitting in the series at San Francisco, where he delivered pinch singles in all three games. Guerrero was cleared to begin a throwing program for the first time since suffering a torn pectoral muscle in the spring.
Meanwhile, Dodgers entered the weekend with the majors' best record. They have been in first place in the National League West for 67 consecutive days and held a nine and a half game lead over the San Francisco Giants.
Outfielder Juan Pierre has filled in admirably for Manny Ramirez. But manager Joe Torre realizes the pop in Pierre’s bat (0 HR’s and a .422 slugging percentage) pales in comparison to Ramirez, who is eligible to return from a 50-game suspension on July 3.
Torre said it was possible that Ramirez would start out playing for Class-A Inland Empire next Thursday.
"That's what we're thinking about. Just for the convenience of the whole thing," Torre told the media. "That's still conversational right now. There's nothing been scheduled. We've got to get him back on the field first."
Prior to taking on the Angels, the Dodgers were 23-14 since Manny’s suspension began.
Holding form
While he’s struggled since straining his forearm in the spring, Lackey struck out a season-high 10 batters in seven innings of work and got the win over the Giants Monday. It was his best performance of the season and the Angles are hopeful he has turned the corner.
Lackey is 12-3 in interleague play during his career, the fourth highest win percentage of any pitcher with at least 10 wins in interleague play. Sunday will mark Lackey’s seventh start of the season, only his second at home.
Kershaw scattered four hits over 5 2-3 scoreless innings and struck out eight against Oakland Tuesday. He left with the no-decision, as the Dodgers blew a 2-0 lead in the eighth inning. Kershaw is now winless in his last three starts (0-2).
History says
Lackey is 13-4 with a 2.74 ERA in his 17 career home-team starts in June. He is also 11-3 in his last 14 starts overall in June. On the flip side, Kershaw is 2-4 with a 6.70 ERA in his last six road teams starts, issuing four or more walks in five of those games.
The Angels have had their prayers answered at home on Sundays, winning 15 of the last 16 games.