MLB News and Notes Sunday 6/27

Sunday Night Baseball: New York Yankees at LA Dodgers
By MARC LAWRENCE

The Dodgers and Yankees meet in the final game of this interleague series at Chavez Ravine in Los Angeles Sunday Night. Let’s take a look at the matchup.

Awkward reunion tour concludes

The Joe Torre reunion party concludes against his former team when the Dodgers wrap-up the final game on the 2010 interleague schedule this evening.

After being dumped by the Yankees in an acrimonious parting following the 2007 season, Torre shared plenty of hugs with some of his former players Friday night.

"The odd thing for me is I'm going to be over there in that dugout pulling against people I've never pulled against before," Torre said. "That's the weird part for me."

While Torre has kept in touch with some of his players, the skipper hasn't spoken with Brian Cashman since his book, "The Yankee Years" was released at the beginning of 2009. In addition, he has not spoken with anybody else in the front office with the exception of George Steinbrenner, whom Torre called to congratulate after last year's World Series.

The most awkward meeting is with Alex Rodriguez, whose relationship with Torre was scarred by some of the contents in the manager's book – most notably the revelation that some of Rodriguez's own teammates referred to him as "A-Fraud."

"I can't entirely understand what Joe will be going through, but I think he has a switch inside that he can just flip on," insists Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Hideki Matsui.

Blue crew

The father of Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal has died from injuries he sustained after being kicked by a horse three weeks ago. Furcal described his late father as his hitting coach and No. 1 fan. Los Angeles expects Furcal back from the Dominican Republic in the middle of the week.

Adding to the Dodgers’ personnel woes is the loss of starting pitchers Chad Billingsley and Carlos Monasterios.

Billingsley went on the 15-day disabled list with a right groin strain on June 12 and is expected to be activated June 28.

Monasterios went on the DL June 19 with a blister on his right middle finger and a split nail on his right index finger. His return is unknown.

June bug

Despite their stellar play in posting the best record in the major leagues this season, the Yanks entered the weekend with a scant two-game lead over Tampa Bay and Boston in the AL East.

Entering Friday, for all intents and purposes, the Pinstripes kept pace with the Red Sox in June, going 14-7 opposed to 15-7 for Boston.

The Rays’ 9-11 mark in June paved the way for New York’s surge to the top of the division standings. The Yankees will play seven more series against the Rays and the Sox before season’s end.

Southpaw slants

Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers opposes New York’s Andy Pettitte in a southpaw setting this evening.

The Dodgers are 10-5 behind Kershaw this season, including 6-2 at home (four wins in a row). Kershaw started his MLB career with losses in six of his first seven team starts in June, but he has reversed tracks, going 6-1 his last seven during the month of June.

The Yankees are 11-3 behind Pettitte’s serves this season. The big lefty is 10-4 his last 14 starts in June, including 5-1 in his last six road games.

Pettitte is 2-2 with a 3.33 ERA in four career team starts against the Dodgers while Kershaw makes his first-ever appearance against the Bronx Bombers.

East meets West

- The Dodgers are 0-6 in their last five meetings against the AL East.

- The Yankees are 6-1 in their last six games against the NL West.

Sunday's MLB Tips
By Kevin Rogers

The final day of interleague action wraps up with five games starting in the late afternoon and evening. The Yankees and Dodgers finish up the card from Chavez Ravine, while a pair of aces take the mound in San Francisco. We'll start in Southern California with an Angels' squad trying to keep pace in the AL West race.

Rockies at Angels - 3:35 PM EST

Los Angeles sits 4 ½ games behind Texas in the AL West with June coming to a close, as the Halos and Rockies conclude their three-game set. Colorado is hanging tough inside the NL West, tied with San Francisco for third place only four games out.

Ervin Santana (7-5, 3.91 ERA) bounced back from consecutive tough starts to limit the Dodgers to three runs in seven innings of a 6-3 victory. The Angels improved to 5-2 in Santana's seven home starts with the win over the Dodgers, while striking out at least six batters in his fifth straight home outing. Santana has faced the Rockies just once in his career, falling 6-2 at home back in 2006 as a $1.40 favorite.

The Rockies send out rookie Jhoulys Chacin (4-6, 3.56 ERA), who has been involved in six consecutive one-run decisions, with Colorado going 2-4 in this stretch. Chacin has delivered only two quality starts in this span, but is coming off a 2-1 victory in his last outing against the Red Sox. The 'under' has cashed in five of Chacin's previous six starts, with the Rockies scoring three runs or less five times.

Colorado owns an 8-4 mark in day games on the road this season; however, five of those wins have come from the league leader in victories in Ubaldo Jimenez. The Angels have won four straight home games under the sun, while going 6-2 the last eight Game 3's at home.

Red Sox at Giants - 4:05 PM EST

A solid pitcher's duel is expected at AT&T Park in the series finale between a pair of Washington natives in Tim Lincecum and Jon Lester. The Giants grabbed the opener by overcoming a 3-0 deficit to top the Red Sox, 5-4 on Friday night.

Lincecum (8-2, 2.86 ERA) is back to his Cy Young-self after some struggles at the end of May. In June, Lincecum is 4-0, while allowing just seven earned runs to go along with 30 strikeouts. In this stretch, the Giants' ace has faced four of the weaker offenses in baseball, taking on the Pirates, A's, Orioles, and Astros - all clubs that rank in the bottom eight of runs scored in the league. San Francisco is 4-1 in Lincecum's last five interleague starts, as the righty faces the Red Sox for the first time in his career.

Lester (8-3, 3.03 ERA) is coming off a tough-luck loss to the Rockies his last time out, tossing six innings in a 2-1 defeat. The Red Sox have struggled when Lester starts as a road underdog, compiling a 2-9 mark since the start of last season in this role. However, Lester did pick up a 2-0 victory at Tampa Bay as a short road 'dog on May 25, his only outing this season in which he wasn't listed as a favorite.

San Francisco has dominated the American League at home by winning nine of the last 10 interleague matchups at AT&T Park. The 'over' has hit in five of Boston's previous six road contests.

Astros at Rangers - 8:05 PM EST

Thanks to the heat in the Lone Star State, these two rivals take the field when things cool down in Arlington. Texas pulled off a sweep of Houston at Minute Maid Park earlier this month, but the Astros exacted revenge by snapping the Rangers' 11-game winning streak on Friday night.

The clock is ticking on Roy Oswalt's (5-9, 3.08 ERA) time in Houston, as the Astros' ace tries to beat the Rangers for the first time since 2006. Oswalt hasn't faced Texas in two seasons, but the righty is 0-4 his last four times to the mound against this Rangers club. The veteran has pitched his best on the road this season, winning four of five starts to go along with a 1.50 ERA. Oswalt has been consistent in each of those outings, going at least seven innings in all five highway starts.

Tommy Hunter (3-0, 2.31 ERA) has taken care of his business at home, racking up three victories at Ameriquest Field. Hunter's last two wins at home are against also-rans in Seattle and Pittsburgh, but the righty did shut down the Rays in his first start of the season. The Rangers are 10-1 in Hunter's last 11 starts as a favorite dating back to last July.

The road team is 8-2 the previous 10 meetings in this series, including a 4-0 mark in 2010. Each club has cashed the 'over' in four of their past five games, while the 'over' has hit in three of four meetings this season.

Yankees at Dodgers - 8:05 PM EST

These two old rivals finish up the card at Chavez Ravine with New York trying to close out its West Coast swing with two series victories. The Dodgers have struggled recently by dropping seven of their past eight games.

Each team sends out a solid left-handed arm with Andy Pettitte and Clayton Kershaw taking the hill. Pettitte (9-2, 2.48 ERA) has turned in nearly identical lines in each of his last four starts, allowing two earned runs and tossing at least seven innings (2-2). The veteran has been nearly automatic on the highway, owning a 3-0 mark and ERA of 1.96, while the 'under' has cashed four of five times.

Kershaw (7-4, 3.24 ERA) had a three-game winning streak snapped his last time out, giving up five earned runs in a 6-3 road setback to the Angels. The Dodgers are 4-0 in Kershaw's last four home starts, all quality outings. Kershaw hasn't performed well in interleague, with Los Angeles going 3-5 in his eight career starts against the American League.

The Yankees are 5-2 to the 'over' in road interleague action, while the Dodgers have been limited to three runs or less in four of the last five games.

vegasinsider.com

MLB RoundUp For 6/27
By Dan Bebe

National League

Padres @ Marlins (-110) with a total of 7.5
Just based on what we know of the Padres, I think the first move is to try to find a way to back them. However, when we examine some of the player matchup numbers, that plan gets derailed. I know Latos has one of the best WHIPs in baseball, for a starter, but his career numbers against Florida, 0-2 and 16.50 ERA, are the worst of any team he's faced. He allowed 7 runs in 2.2 innings earlier this year, on 7 hits, and based on that ERA, you can tell his previous work wasn't all that much better. Sanchez is 0-1 against the Pads, but his 2.84 ERA against them is a little more confidence-inspiring. I can't back Latos against the Marlins. Leans: Marlins

Interleague Play

Indians @ Reds (-185) with a total of 9.5
Travis Hafner is 6-for-10 with a HR and 2 RBI off Arroyo since '05;
Austin Kearns is 3-for-7 with 2 HR and 5 RBI off Arroyo since '05.
I don't think there's a good reason to look at the side in this one. You guys know how I feel about home run lines, and lately, Mitch Talbot, has been able to go 5 or 6 good innings, then mix one horrible one in there, as well. The Reds will score some runs, and Arroyo does actually have a decent history against the Indians. Not worth it. Leans: None

Twins @ Mets (-110) with a total of 8.5
The players haven't seen much of the opposing pitcher, which actually has worked out pretty well for us, since we've been able to rely on how that pitcher has been trending. Scott Baker, to our delight, has been struggling a bit in June, aside from one completely dominant start against the Rockies. His other 3 outings this month have featured 14 runs in a hair over 18 innings. Jon Niese, for the Mets, is healthy, and finally starting to fill some of his potential. That being said, he got creamed by the Tigers in his last start, and got lucky that his Mets supported him with even more runs. Can he bounce back? History would say that he might have another bad one, first, but it's also possible that that game with Detroit was an aberration, since Verlander got hit hard, too, and he's a stud. Leans: Mets

Tigers @ Braves (-130) with a total of 8
Surprisingly, both of these top-tier starters got blasted the last time they pitched. Verlander gave up 5 runs in 2 innings in New York, and Hanson allowed 9 to the surging Chicago White Sox. So, who bounces back? Well, Detroit continues to struggle on the road, and are looking to try to avoid getting swept here, as they managed to do in New York, against the Mets. Verlander can certainly make things happen, and he'll almost always go deep in the game, but I'm not sure that the Tigers offense is just overmatched away from home. This one is too close to call, though believe me, I'd love to find an angle. Leans: None

Phillies (-131) @ Blue Jays with a total of 9.5
Alex Gonzalez is 4-for-9 with a HR and 4 RBI off Moyer;
Aaron Hill is batting .435 with 3 HR and 5 RBI off Moyer;
John McDonald is 4-for-9 with a HR and 3 RBI off Moyer;
Jose Molina is 4-for-9 off Moyer since '05;
Lyle Overbay is 6-for-17 with a HR and 6 RBI off Moyer since '05;
Vernon Wells is 6-for-19 with 2 RBI off Moyer since '05.
Moyer is coming off 2 incredible starts, made even moreso by the fact that he got his first issue of AARP last week. Brett Cecil is on the other side of that slope, giving up handfuls of runs in each of his last two starts. That being said, Moyer has a career ERA of almost 6 against the Jays, and I would have loved for this series to actually get played in Toronto. In Philadelphia, Moyer has a little edge with the home crowd, but those career numbers and player numbers are pushing me the other way. Leans: Blue Jays

Nationals @ Orioles (-120) with a total of 9.5
Do my eyes deceive me? The Orioles as the favorite? Jeremy Guthrie, having a better season this year than last, is 1-1 with a 1.91 ERA lifetime against the Nats. On the other hand, Guthrie has lost all 4 starts he's made in June, giving up 16 runs in roughly 26 innings...not an awful ERA, but not good, either. Atilano, for the Nats, has been pretty up-and-down. He broke into the Bigs with 2 or 3 decent starts in his first 4, then struggled for 4 or 5 starts, and in June he's pitched well in 2 of 4 outings. Which Atilano are we going to get? That's the one question that truly needs to be answered to make a play on this game. I honestly can't believe the O's are a favorite, but in a tip of the cap to the books, I think you have to at least peer in their direction. Leans: Orioles

D'backs @ Rays (-200) with a total of 9.5
Hank Blalock is 3-for-8 off Rodrigo Lopez.
Minimal player data, so we can almost disregard it, though Carl Crawford has been decidedly average in his career against Lopez. The D'backs won the opener behind a no-hitter from Edwin Jackson, then came back yesterday and lost 5-3 in another game that turned out more competitive than I think most figured. So, what of today? This is a monster line for Wade Davis, who hasn't exactly been a model of consistency, this year. Lopez has been pretty consistent for Arizona, but will it be good enough? Leans: D'backs

Cubs @ White Sox (-135) with a total of 8
Juan Pierre was 4-for-11 off Dempster before 2010;
A.J. Pierzynski was 6-for-17 with a HR and 6 RBI off Dempster before 2010;
Carlos Quentin was 4-for-9 off Dempster with 2 RBI;
Alexei Ramirez was 4-for-11 with a HR and 2 RBI off Dempster.
On paper, the White Sox have a pretty marked edge in this one. The Cubs are in disarray, Dempster is 1-4 with a 5.09 ERA lifetime against the Southside club, and John Danks is a perfect 2-0 with an 0.90 ERA against the Cubs. Danks is back on his game in June, and the Sox are doing more than enough to win, I don't know how you can go against all that. Leans: White Sox

Mariners @ Brewers (-120) with a total of 9
How the heck is Chris Narveson 6-4? That is just inexplicable, and that's why record rarely tells the entire story. His ERA of 5.76 is a little more revealing, and it just seems like whenever Narveson can go 5 innings and give up 2 runs, the Brewers give him 6 runs of support. When Narveson gives up 5 runs in 4 innings, well, that's why his ERA is where it is. Jason Vargas is, perhaps, the most underrated pitcher in the AL right now. That's not to say that he's the best pitcher out there, but he's 6-2 with a 2.66 ERA and still no one is talking about him. He's also having a strong month of June, and the Mariners got a nice road win last night that could certainly put the Brewers on a short losing skid. Leans: Mariners

Cardinals (-165) @ Royals with a total of 8.5
Bruce Chen is still pitching well. I just wanted to lead with that, since it's the last nice thing I'll say about him. He's 0-3 with a 5.71 lifetime ERA against the Cardinals, and Jaime Garcia continues to rumble right along in what is well beyond a "breakout" rookie season. Just an amazing first 3 months, and I'll give credit where credit's due. I thought he'd regress, and he still should, but he's been rocking long enough where I don't think it's worth trying to predict when that happens. Leans: Under

Rockies @ Angels (-140) with a total of 8.5
Some of the Rockies have seen more of Ervin Santana than I expected, though he's still without a decision against the actual Colorado team. We can thank the Rox for adding guys like Giambi and Mora to add to the historical data. As far as this match-up goes, Chacin is starting to hit a stride again just a bit, coming off 2 decent starts. Santana is coming off a start that looked horrid early, against the Dodgers, before he really rounded into shape and gave the Halos 7 strong innings. He's still walking too many guys, and I worry that the Angels can get that key hit. Leans: None

Red Sox @ Giants (-130) with a total of 7
This game, to me, looks like a proving ground type of game for Lincecum, who has cut a swath through the weaker National League. Now, facing the Red Sox and their hot bats, The Freak is definitely going to be amped. Lester is a tough customer, though, and I can't help but think this one could be a game dominated by pitching. I'm surprised, actually, that we didn't see a total of 6.5 in such a large, pitcher-friendly park. Both of these guys are throwing well, the only real difference is that Lincecum seems to be going deeper into games, and June has been much more vintage Lincecum. I think oddsmakers are correct with this line. Leans: Giants

Pirates @ Athletics (-235) with a total of 9
I'm not sure I even care about this game. In fact, digging and digging for something to write, all I've got is that the Pirates are downright ridiculously bad on the road (and almost as bad at home), and the A's are good enough to beat 'em. Is this line reasonable? Probably not, but I'm not going to be that guy that says "be selective", then tells someone to take a longshot on this type of game. I'm intrigued by the total, just a little. Gonzalez is darn near unhittable at home, so if you think the A's get held to 5 or fewer runs, I think this one's got a nice shot to stay Under. Leans: Under

Astros @ Rangers (-165) with a total of 9
Ian Kinsler was 6-for-13 with a HR and 2 RBI off Oswalt before 2010;
Michael Young is 9-for-24 with 6 RBI off Oswalt since '05.
Oswalt is certainly good enough to keep this one close, so I wonder if this game isn't a spot where the road team has a little value. Tommy Hunter's been pitching too well, though, to really make this a top lean. I guess the thought process is that every time out Oswalt can either raise or lower his value in a potential trade, so he's likely to give a decent effort. Leans: Astros

Yankees @ Dodgers (-110) with a total of 7.5
Garrett Anderson is 9-for-16 off Pettitte since '05;
Manny Ramirez is 7-for-18 with a HR and 2 RBI off Pettitte since '05.
Pettitte has done a number on just about every Dodger that didn't get listed above. Furcal is 1-for-10, Reed Johnson is 1-for-8, Jamey Carroll 2-for-15, and the list goes on. The Yanks haven't seen the youngster, Kershaw, and we know the kind of damage he can do, at home, but those walks scare the heck out of me. Few teams are more patient than the Yanks, and if Kershaw isn't hitting the zone, he's either going to get punished or check out of this one after 4-5 innings. Either way, that's not good. Pettitte is having an unreal season, and his June has been just about as good. He's gone 7 innings or more in every start this month, and has given up 2 earned runs in all 4 starts before this one. Leans: Yankees

Tips and Trends

Chicago Cubs at Chicago White Sox

Cubs: The Cubs are under an intense amount of turmoil, as they've lost 6 of their last 8 games, and their has been bickering in the clubhouse. Chicago appears to be the biggest disappointment of all teams in the majors this year. The Cubs are struggling with both their offense and their defense this year. Chicago is 32-42 SU overall this year, including a paltry 14-24 SU on the road. The Cubs are down double digit units both SU and on the RL this year, -19.22 and -12.49 respectively. P Ryan Dempster will try to get his team a much needed win tonight. Dempster has actually pitched well this season, yet has nothing to show for it for his lack of run support. Dempster is 5-6 this year, with an ERA of 3.56 and a WHIP of 1.16. The Cubs are 2-6 in their last 8 interleague road games against a left-handed starter. The Cubs are 8-17 in Dempster's last 25 starts following a team loss in their previous game. Chicago is 7-20 in Dempster's last 27 road starts. The Cubs are 1-8 in Dempster's last 9 starts as a road underdog of +110 to +150. Chicago is 0-9 in Dempster's last 9 starts during game 3 of a series.

Cubs are 3-11 last 14 interleague games as an underdog.
Under is 4-0 last 4 interleague road games against a team with a winning record.

Key Injuries - None.

PROJECTED SCORE: 2

White Sox (-135, O/U 8): Chicago is quite simply the hottest team in baseball, as they've won their past 11 games. The White Sox are 39-34 SU this season, trailing the Twins by only 1.5 games in the American League Central. Chicago has used their brilliant winning streak during a typically tough time, interleague play. The White Sox are +2.72 and -3.54 units both SU and on the RL respectively this year. Lefty John Danks has been nearly unhittable over his past 3 starts, all wins. Danks is 7-5 with an ERA of 3.23 and a WHIP of 1.17 overall this season. The White Sox are 6-0 in their last 6 home games against a right-handed starter. The White Sox are 14-3 in their last 17 games against a right-handed starter. Chicago is 6-0 in Danks last 6 starts as a favorite of -110 to -150. The White Sox are 7-2 in Danks last 9 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance. Chicago is 2-5 in Danks last 7 starts as a home favorite.

White Sox are 8-0 last 8 games as a favorite.
Under is 6-0 last 6 interleague home games against a team with a losing record.

Key Injuries - 3B Mark Teahen (finger) is out.

PROJECTED SCORE: 3 (UNDER - Total of the Day)

New York Yankees at Los Angeles Dodgers

Yankees: New York has won 3 of their last 4, and have a chance to win yet another series with a road win today. The Yankees are 46-28 SU this season, the best record in the majors. Their matchup with the Dodgers will be played out on national TV tonight, so you can expect the focus to be on the task at hand. New York is +3.72 and +7.52 units both SU and on the RL this season. P Andy Pettitte will look to keep up his outstanding season, as he is 9-2 with an ERA of 2.48 and a WHIP of 1.12. The Yankees are 6-0 in their last 6 games with the total set between 7 and 8.5 runs. The Yankees are 36-16 in their last 52 during game 3 of a series. New York is 6-1 in Pettitte's last 7 interleague starts. New York is 7-2 in Pettitte's last 9 starts as an underdog. The Yankees are 16-5 in Pettitte's last 21 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.

Yankees are 7-1 last 8 interleague games as a favorite of -110 to -150.
Under is 10-1 last 11 road games against a team with a winning record.

Key Injuries - LF Marcus Thames (hamstring) is out.

PROJECTED SCORE: 3

Dodgers (-110, O/U 7.5): Los Angeles finally won a game, after losing 7 of their previous 8 games. The Dodgers offense kicked into gear, and it led them to an impressive win over the Yankees yesterday. Los Angeles is 40-34 SU this year, 4 games behind San Diego. The Dodgers are -0.79 and -1.58 units both SU and on the RL this year. Lefty P Clayton Kershaw will take the ball today in the rubber game with the Yankees. Kershaw is 7-4 this year, with an ERA of 3.24 and a WHIP of 1.29. The Dodgers are 4-0 in their last 4 games against a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15. The Dodgers are 7-22 in their last 29 interleague games against a left-handed starter. Los Angeles is 5-0 in Kershaw's last 5 home starts against a team with a winning record. The Dodgers are 9-1 in Kershaw's last 10 starts against a team with a winning record.

Dodgers are 9-2 last 11 games against a team with a winning percentage above .600%.
Over is 7-2 last 9 games as a favorite.

Key Injuries - C Brad Ausmus (back) is out.

PROJECTED SCORE: 4 (Side of the Day)