MLB Stat Check
By Bodog
We’re back with another season of stats and factoids for the baseball betting connoisseur. This is where we hit you with some numbers and notes that might be flying under your radar screen. And baseball is about the numbers, more than any of the major sports. Here’s our latest Top 10; all times are Eastern.
1. Philadelphia at N.Y. Yankees (Wednesday, 7:05 p.m., ESPN)
The UNDER is 6-2 in umpire Ed Rapuano’s last eight games, and the Phillies are 7-3 in their last 10 with Rapuano behind the plate. He placed fifth in ESPN’s recent player poll asking who’s the best major league umpire.
2. Colorado at Minnesota (Thursday, 1:10 p.m.)
Ubaldo Jimenez has yet to throw anything but a quality start for the Rockies this season. Jimenez leads all pitchers with 10.72 units of profit against the baseball odds on a team record of 12-1.
3. L.A. Angels at Chicago Cubs (Friday, 2:20 p.m.)
Carlos Silva already has three more wins as a Chicago Cub than he did in two seasons with the Seattle Mariners. He’s 8-1 for Chicago (10-2 team record, 8.47 units) after going 5-18 in Seattle. Silva is wisely throwing fewer fastballs this year.
4. Chicago White Sox at Washington (Friday, 7:05 p.m., MLBN)
Only one person in MLB history has thrown more strikeouts in his first two games than Steven Strasburg (22 for the Nationals). That was Karl Spooner of the 1954 Brooklyn Dodgers with 27. After that promising debut, Spooner wrecked his arm in spring training and was out of the majors one year later.
5. Cincinnati at Seattle (Friday, 10:10 p.m.)
Johnny Cueto is getting 5.77 runs of support per game from his Cincinnati teammates, who rank third in the majors with an .804 OPS. Cliff Lee is getting 4.33 runs from the Mariners, second-last in the majors with a .660 OPS.
6. Arizona at Detroit (Saturday, 7:05 p.m.)
The Diamondbacks have shipped Conor Jackson (.657 OPS) to the Oakland Athletics for minor league reliever Sam Demel. Jackson’s career got sideswiped last year when he contracted valley fever, a fungal disease endemic in the Arizona desert.
7. Tampa Bay at Florida (Saturday, 7:10 p.m.)
The Rays are 6-2 in their last eight games against teams in the National League East. They’re currently in a three-game series with the Atlanta Braves, taking Tuesday’s opener 10-4 and cashing in at –134.
8. San Francisco at Toronto (Sunday, 1:07 p.m.)
The Jays are 11-3 in 14 games with the roof open at Rogers Centre (the former SkyDome) and 6-11 with the roof closed. Sunday’s forecast calls for a 30 percent chance of rain.
9. Texas at Houston (Sunday, 2:05 p.m.)
Current members of the Astros have a collective .980 lifetime OPS against C.J. Wilson. Hunter Pence is 4-for-5 with a double; Jeff Keppinger got a hit off Wilson the first time he saw him.
10. L.A. Dodgers at Boston (Sunday, 8:00 p.m., ESPN)
LA's Hirkoi Kuroda ranks No. 14 in the majors with a 53.7 percent groundball rate. Clay Buchholz is No. 21 overall at 51.5 percent. Many worms will be burned this week on Sunday Night Baseball.