The 2008 MLB Season rolls on Thursday and our team of writers and handicappers has made three predictions for today’s games.
San Diego Padres (53-86) at Milwaukee Brewers (80-59)
Jeff Suppan may not be the biggest name on Milwaukee's staff, but the way he's pitched of late, he could be the right person to help the Brewers end their losing skid.
The veteran looks to win his sixth consecutive decision and help the wild-card leading Brewers avoid a fourth straight loss in the opener of a four-game home series with the San Diego Padres on Thursday night.
While CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets have garnered most of the attention at the front of the Brewers' starting rotation, Suppan (10-7, 4.49 ERA) has proven just as valuable over the last month, going 5-0 with a 3.00 ERA in his last six starts.
The Padres (53-86), who lost two of three to Milwaukee from Aug. 12-14, also enter this contest after being swept in three games. They lost their series finale 6-4 at Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Rookie Chase Headley had three hits and Kevin Kouzmanoff hit his 20th homer, but the team with the worst record in the majors saw its season-high road losing streak reach nine games.
After spending the last three months on the disabled list with a broken thumb, veteran Shawn Estes (1-1, 3.33) returns to make his fifth start of the season for the Padres.
The 35-year-old left-hander, who allowed four runs in five innings of 6-4 loss to Washington in his most recent start on May 28, is 5-6 with a 6.01 ERA in 14 career starts against Milwaukee.
Pick: Milwaukee - Best line -230 SBG Global
Los Angeles Angels (84-54) at Detroit Tigers (67-72)
Already with one of the best pitching staffs in the American League, the Los Angeles Angels should be even better now that Ervin Santana is looking like an ace.
The right-hander looks for his fourth consecutive winning decision Thursday night as the Angels conclude a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers.
The Angels (84-54), who have a magic number of eight to clinch their second straight AL West title, are fourth in the AL with a 3.89 ERA, and Santana (14-5, 3.31 ERA) has played a big part in that success.
He has been particularly good over his last six starts, going 3-0 with a 2.49 ERA, 48 strikeouts and six walks in 43 1-3 innings. He's reached the seventh inning in each of those games.
Santana, who played in his first All-Star game in July, was impressive again Friday, yielding one run and five hits with seven strikeouts and a walk over eight innings of a 3-1 win over Texas.
Kenny Rogers (9-12, 5.23) looks to win for only the second time in eight starts for Detroit.
In his last seven games, the 43-year-old left-hander is 1-6 with a 7.59 ERA while serving up eight homers with 21 walks in 40 1-3 innings.
Rogers pitched well in his last start against the Angels on May 26, scattering five hits in seven innings of a 1-0, 12-inning loss.
Pick: Detroit - Best line +140 SBG Global
New York Yankees (75-64) at Tampa Bay Rays (84-53)
The Tampa Bay Rays have had a remarkable season, one that could result in the franchise's first postseason appearance.
Beating the New York Yankees, however, remains a problem.
The Rays hope to avoid being swept at home in a three-game series for the first time this season on Thursday night against the Yankees, winners of a season-high six straight on the road.
Tampa Bay (84-53) has held the top spot in the AL East since July 18 and appeared to be headed toward a division title. Back-to-back losses to New York (75-64), however, have cut the Rays' lead over surging Boston to three games with Tampa Bay and Boston still to meet six times this month.
Tampa Bay looks to get back on track behind Scott Kazmir (10-6, 3.13 ERA), who is 6-1 with a 2.30 and boasts a stingy .191 opponent batting average in 11 home starts.
He has led the Rays to victory in seven of his last eight starts overall, including Friday as he tossed 5 1-3 scoreless innings, scattering three hits and fanning six in a 14-3 home win over Baltimore.
The left-hander - 3-4 with a 2.76 ERA in 11 career appearances against New York - has compiled a 1.64 ERA in splitting two starts versus the Yankees this season. He fanned nine in five innings, but gave up two runs and five hits in a 5-0 loss in New York on July 8.
Kazmir will be countered by Darrell Rasner (5-9, 5.08), who went 0-1 with a 5.52 ERA in six August appearances - five of them starts.
Pick: Tampa Bay - Best line -165 SBG Global