Jeff Benton
Finally got back on track with the free plays Sunday as the Tigers edged the Brewers for 5♦ winner. For Monday, we’ll back the Giants as a big underdog at Oakland as these teams resume their Bay Area rivalry.
I’ll be very honest: I’m not a fan at all of Giants starter Jonathan Sanchez. Who could be? Sanchez is 2-7 with a 5.43 ERA this season, 0-6 with a 6.39 ERA on the road, 0-3 with a 7.71 ERA in his last three starts and San Francisco has won just three times in his 12 starts this season. So how do I justify this selection? Because Sanchez is a left-hander, and aside from the crappy Padres, no team is worse against lefty pitching than the A’s.
Oakland, which is batting just .235 as a team anyway, is hitting a woeful .212 against southpaw pitching, including an even .200 at home and .207 over the past 10 games overall. Not surprisingly, the A’s have lost four of their last five to left-handed starters (only win came against San Diego) and 3-10 in their last 13 against lefties at home.
Also, prior to taking two of three at San Diego this weekend, Oakland had lost nine of its previous 11 interleague games. That includes three ugly losses in San Francisco less than two weeks ago, when the A’s got outscored 15-3. In fact, the Giants have won the last five games in this rivalry by a combined tally of 27-4!
Bottom line: No question that Oakland, which will hand the ball to improving youngster Trevor Cahill, has the starting pitching edge tonight. But San Francisco, which just swept first-place Texas this weekend, has every other advantage in this game (including a bullpen that has a sensational 1.16 ERA over the past 10 games). In fact, the Giants’ 37-31 record is seven games better than Oakland’s (30-38). So we’ll take a shot with the better team at a nice underdog price.
3♦ SAN FRANCISCO
Scott Delaney
Now on an 19-11-1 run with the complimentary releases and tonight we're taking the Athletics over the Giants in the Bay Area rivalry.
I think we’re looking at a rather cheap price with the Athletics and Trevor Cahill tonight, as he’s clearly been the better pitcher than Jonathan Sanchez, and will undoubtedly be geared up for the Bay Area-rival on his own mound.
Cahill, who is just 4-5 on the year and 3-4 at home – has a respectable 3.89 ERA on the season, and an even better 3.67 ERA at home. But forget about that, it’s all about how well this kid has been doing lately. Last Wednesday he went into Los Angeles and gave up no earned runs over five frames; in the month of June he’s 2-0 against Baltimore, Minnesota (no-decision) and the Dodgers. In all he’s given up just five earned runs over 18 innings of work this month.
On the flipside of that, Sanchez has been atrocious this season, posting a 2-7 mark with a 5.43 ERA, which has escalated above five three times this season. He comes in off a shellacking at the hands of the Angels, as the left-hander surrendered seven runs - six of them earned - over 3-2/3 innings. He’s winless in his last four starts and with the A’s playing some improved baseball lately thanks to the rookie rotation; again, I think this is a cheap price to pay.
1♦ OAKLAND ATHLETICS
Jake Timlin
Take the Angels as they hand the Rockies a rare loss tonight.
Slowing down the Rockies who have won 16 of their last 17 games will be red hot pitcher in Palmer who is a perfect 6-0 in 9 start on the year, including 4-0 with a 3.41 ERA in five home starts. In his nine starts on the year the Angels have gone won 8 of the night games. Meanwhile, history is on the Angels side tonight thanks to having won 7 of the last 9 series games.
Cook will counter for the Rockies on a roll but just 3-2 with a 4.40 ERA on the highway this season.
Go with Los Angeles tonight as they slow down the Rockies.
1♦ Los Angeles Angels
Tony Weston
Today's Selection
The Dodgers come through with a solid win for us last night and we’re poised to make it 2 in a row tonight as we’re taking the Cubs on the road at the Braves.
Chicago comes into this game having won 4 straight and 5 of its last 6 games overall and now deals with a Braves team that’s 6 of its last 8 games.
Also, Atlanta comes into this game having won only 9 of its last 25 games, including only 3 of its last 8 games at home.
Set to take the mound for the Braves is righty Javier Vazquez, who has not won a game in his last 5 starts. In fact, it’s been more than a month since Vazquez last recorded a win. The Braves have lost each of his last 5 starts and have lost 7 of his last 10 starts.
Atlanta will drop another of Vazquez’s starts as the Cubs get over tonight. Take the Cubbies on the road in this one.
3♦ CUBS
Ben Burns
Colorado Rockies at Los Angeles Angels
Prediction: Under
When you think of the Rockies in MLB thoughts often turn to Coors Field and high-scoring offensive slugfests. However, not only is this game on the road, the Rockies have been winning with pitching moreso than hitting. This goes for Coors Field too. In going 8-1 in their last 9 home games, the Rockies only allowed an average of 3.5 runs per game in the 8 home games. Also, the Rockies bring an eight game road winning streak into this match-up and they've allowed an average of just 2.5 runs per game during that win streak away from home. The Rockies are 7-2 to the under in interleague games this season and they're 29-16 to the under in interleague games the last three seasons. This pitching match-up also is pointing to an under at Angel Stadium on Monday. The Angels send Matt Palmer to the mound and he's 6-0 this season with a 4.13 ERA and a very impressive .237 BAA. One of his few poor outings this season came against the Dodgers but that was at Dodger Stadium. Now he gets a chance for payback at home where he's compiled a 3.41 ERA this season. Colorado sends sinkerballer Aaron Cook to the mound and he's been in top form in his last three starts. This included a pair of road starts where he allowed just one earned run each time with as many strikeouts as hits (11) in 14 innings. The Angels have only seen him once in his career so that's a big plus for Cook and he will have the Angels hitters pounding out groundballs. Note that Cook enjoys success even at hitter-friendly Coors Field so he will certainly find Angel Stadium and the heavy night air off the Pacific Ocean to be even more to his liking. Cook has allowed one earned run or less in four of his last six road starts and he comes up big at Los Angeles and with the Angels Palmer also continuing his fine season, this one should prove to be a well-pitched affair. Consider the Under.
Freddy Wills
Chicago Cubs vs. Atlanta Braves
Play: Under 7½
We have some frustrated pitchers going here on Monday and I usually love taking the under in this situation when pitchers are pitching well and not getting the credit they deserve.
Braves will send Vazquez to the mound today and he'll have the liberty of going up against the Cubs without Soriano int het lineup. Vazquez is 0-2 in 22IP with a .55 whip and a 2.86ERA with again nothing to show for it. The Cubs have not hi RHP just .212 3.27 R/9 in their last 10 games. If Vazquez does not have his A game the bullpen is there to help out with a 1.76ERA last 5.
Dempster will go to the mound for the Cubs and he also has pitched wel with nothing to show for it. Dempster 0-1 1.32whip and a 1.89 ERA last 3 with nothing to show for. He has pitched better on the road and in his last start for Atlanta he went all 9 innings and gave up just 2ER. Braves have not exactly hit the ball (.265 3.50 R/9 last 10 vs. RHP) as of late and I'm confident that this game will stay under the number.