MLB Weekend Cheat Sheet
By Marc Lawrence
The final weekend in August finds the MLB pennant races heating up. And with it comes the opportunity to cash in on some solid handicapping situations.
Take a look into the top four series on tap this weekend. Remember, all results are within the series and all pitcher records are ‘team starts’ (the team’s record in games in which the pitcher starts) versus this opponent.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies
Most Recent Series Result: Braves 6-2 last eight games (8-4 this season)
Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Braves 6-2 last eight games away (4-2 this season)
Key Day/Month Stat: Braves 7-0 away Fridays
Best Arm in the Series: Phillies’ Martinez 5-1, 2.42 ERA home career starts
Worst Arm in the Series: Phillies’ Blanton 1-2, 4.50 ERA last three starts
Colorado Rockies at San Francisco Giants
Most Recent Series Result: Rockies 5-1 last six games (7-5 this season)
Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Rockies 6-3 last nine games away (1-2 this season)
Key Day/Month Stat: Rockies 11-2 on Sundays
Best Arm in the Series: Rockies’ Marquis 7-2, 2.16 ERA career starts
Worst Arm in the Series: Giants’ Lincecum 3-6, 6.00 ERA career starts
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Tampa Bay Rays at Detroit Tigers
Most Recent Series Result: Rays 6-3 last nine games
Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Tigers 10-4 last 14 games home
Key Day/Month Stat: Rays 14-2 Saturdays
Best Arm in the Series: Tigers’ Verlander 4-0, 4.50 ERA career starts
Worst Arm in the Series: Rays’ Garza 1-4, 5.28 ERA career starts
Texas Rangers at Minnesota Twins
Most Recent Series Result: Twins 6-4 last 10 games (4-3 this season)
Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Twins 8-3 last 11 games home
Key Day/Month Stat: Twins 16-4 home Sundays
Best Arm in the Series: Twins’ Baker 3-0, 5.11 ERA career starts
Worst Arm in the Series: Rangers’ Millwood 1-5, 4.31 ERA away career starts
MLB Weekend Top 10
By Bodog
How good is the American League East right now? The Tampa Bay Rays are one of the top teams in baseball, and yet they’re 10 games out of first place in the division. The New York Yankees lead the AL East with the best record in the majors. And if the Rays are going to make the playoffs, they’re four games behind the Boston Red Sox for the Wild Card, so they’d better get a move on.
We’ve got all three Eastern rivals lined up in this week’s betting preview, plus the hard-luck Toronto Blue Jays in their latest trip to Fenway Park. All stats are at press time; Bodog Sports is your home for the latest lines.
Top 10 paying teams
1. Los Angeles Angels (75-50, 22.80 units)
2. Texas Rangers (70-55, 18.76 units)
3. Colorado Rockies (72-55, 14.56 units)
4. Los Angeles Dodgers (75-52, 12.93 units)
5. Philadelphia Phillies (73-51, 10.79 units)
6. St. Louis Cardinals (74-54, 10.71 units)
7. San Francisco Giants (69-58, 10.46 units)
8. Florida Marlins (67-59, 9.60 units)
9. Seattle Mariners (66-61, 8.39 units)
10. New York Yankees (79-47, 6.81 units)
Top 10 paying pitchers
1. Matt Palmer, L.A. Angels (10-2 team record, 11.64 units)
2. Josh Johnson, Florida (19-7, 10.95 units)
3. Tim Wakefield, Boston (14-4, 10.22 units)
4. Jason Marquis, Colorado (17-8, 10.10 units)
5. Jeff Niemann, Tampa Bay (16-7, 9.95 units)
6. Scott Feldman, Texas (16-7, 9.54 units)
7. Josh Beckett, Boston (18-7, 8.48 units)
8. Matt Cain, San Francisco (18-8, 8.30 units)
9. Jered Weaver, L.A. Angels (18-8, 8.13 units)
10. Felix Hernandez, Seattle (18-8, 7.41 units)
This weekend's top 10 storylines
1. Red Sox release SP Brad Penny, welcome RP Billy Wagner
2. Mets SP Oliver Perez (knee) out for season
3. Alfonso Soriano returns to left field for Cubs; may require MRI
4. Diamondbacks activate OF Justin Upton from DL
5. Catcher Jorge Posada (bruised finger) listed as day-to-day for Yankees
6. Rockies call up OF Eric Young Jr., put OF Dexter Fowler on DL
7. Nationals sign SP Livan Hernandez after release by Mets
8. Jake Peavy unlikely to start for White Sox on Saturday
9. John Smoltz to start for St. Louis on Friday, Mitchell Boggs on Saturday
10. Report: Milwaukee places RP Trevor Hoffman on waivers
This weekend's top 10 games to bet on:
1. Sunday: Atlanta at Philadelphia (8:05 p.m. Eastern, ESPN)
We should have an entertaining duel on Sunday Night Baseball between Jair Jurrjens (2.91 ERA, 1.26 WHIP) and Joe Blanton (3.88 ERA, 1.29 WHIP).
2. Saturday: N.Y. Mets at Chicago Cubs (4:10 p.m., FOX)
The Mets are sending rookie Bobby Parnell (5.08 ERA, 1.63 WHIP) to the mound. This is his first month as a starter; New York’s only win was Parnell’s only quality start in four attempts.
3. Sunday: Chicago White Sox at N.Y. Yankees (1:05 p.m., TBS)
Chicago traded Freddy Garcia to the Phillies in 2006. He’ll make the third start of his return engagement for the White Sox after allowing eight earned runs in his first 10.2 innings of work, both losses for Chicago.
4. Friday: Toronto at Boston (7:05 p.m.)
The Jays (58-67, -14.82 units) have a run differential of plus-16, three more than the AL Central-leading Tigers at 67-59. Boston is on a 5-0 streak against Toronto at Fenway.
5. Saturday: Colorado at San Francisco (9:05 p.m., MLBN)
Our No. 4 money pitcher, Jason Marquis (3.47 ERA, 1.27 WHIP), squares off against former Cy Young winner Barry Zito (4.09 ERA, 1.32 WHIP).
6. Friday: Tampa Bay at Detroit (7:05 p.m.)
The under is 16-7-2 in Detroit’s last 25 games against winning teams and 37-13-3 for Tampa’s Matt Garza (3.74 ERA, 1.25 WHIP) in his last 57 starts.
7. Saturday: L.A. Dodgers at Cincinnati (4:10 p.m., FOX)
It’s another start for Dodgers knuckleballer Charlie Haeger (1.93 ERA, 0.86 WHIP), who threw seven quality innings in each of his first two games, splitting the pair down the middle.
8. Sunday: Texas at Minnesota (2:10 p.m.)
Kevin Millwood (3.63 ERA, 1.34 WHIP) has the under at 15-7-3 for the Rangers, while the over is 15-9-1 for Scott Baker (4.47 ERA, 1.15 WHIP) and the Twins.
9. Friday: Kansas City at Seattle (10:10 p.m.)
It’s Felix Hernandez (2.73 ERA, 1.19 ERA) checking in at No. 10 on our money list. The Mariners are 11-3 in his last 14 starts, and the under is 11-4-1 in his last 16.
10. Saturday: Pittsburgh at Milwaukee (7:05 p.m.)
The Pirates will make Kevin Hart (4.14 ERA, 1.60 WHIP) walk the plank. They’ve lost three of his four starts since coming over from the Cubs at the trade deadline.