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MLB
Monday, April 29
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Monday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers
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Two starters on bad teams are pitching very well and could generate good profit for those looking for a live underdog.
Here's a look at Monday's streaking and slumping starters:
Streaking
Lucas Harrell, Houston Astros (2-2, 4.08 ERA)
Don't let Harrell's numbers fool you. His stats are skewed because of a horrendous outing against Oakland on April 7, when he gave up eight earned runs in 4 1/3 innings. In his four other starts, Harrell has given up five earned runs and only two home runs. The Astros have won their last two with Harrell on the mound.
Jeff Samardzija, Chicago Cubs (1-4, 3.03 ERA)
Samardzija is another guy who is pitching gems without getting wins. The Cubs have lost all of his last four starts. But Samardzija has given up only 11 earned runs in his five starts, has struck out an average of 7.8 batters per game, and walked only 10 opponents. The under is 4-1 in his starts.
Slumping
Mike Pelfrey, Minnesota Twins (2-2, 7.94 ERA)
Pelfrey is struggling in his first month in the American League. In his last three starts, Pelfrey's been rocked for an 11.57 ERA and has only five strikeouts. The over is 4-0 in Pelftey's outings.
Matt Cain, San Francisco Giants (0-2, 6.33 ERA)
Cain looks nothing like the pitcher that had a 3.60 ERA in the 2012 playoffs, pacing the Giants to the World Series. He has given up at least one home run in each of his last three starts, and has made it to the seventh inning once. San Francisco is 0-5 in Cain's starts.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-29-13 07:33 PM |
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MLB
Monday, April 29
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Rounding the bases: The best bets in the bigs
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For the week of April 22-28.
Hot team: Boston Red Sox
Last week: 6-1
Season: 18-7
Upcoming schedule: at Blue Jays, at Rangers
Skinny: The Red Sox knocked off the Astros 6-1 Sunday to complete the four-game series sweep of Houston and tie the club record for most wins in April (17).
Cold team: Toronto Blue Jays
Last week: 1-6
Season: 9-17
Upcoming schedule: vs. Red Sox, vs. Mariners
Skinny: The Jays dropped two of three to the Baltimore Orioles and were swept by the New York Yankees this past weekend. Toronto has dropped 10 of its last 13 games to fall into second-last in the American League, ahead of only the Houston Astros (7-18).
Over team: Oakland A’s
Last week: 6-1 over/under
Season: 21-5 over/under
Upcoming schedule: vs. Angels, at Yankees
Skinny: The A’s rank in the top five in nearly every offensive statistical category and their pitching, which was the backbone of the team last season, has been sub-par (4.19 ERA).
Under team: Chicago Cubs
Last week: 2-5 over/under
Season: 8-16 over/under
Upcoming schedule: vs. Padres, vs. Reds
Skinny: The Cubs are averaging only 3.30 runs per game and their pitching staff boasts a 3.29 team ERA – the fifth-best mark in the bigs.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-29-13 07:35 PM |
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Preview: Twins (11-11) at Tigers (14-10)
Game: 2
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: April 30, 2013 7:05 PM EDT
A finger problem won't keep Justin Verlander from trying to help the Detroit Tigers record a season-high fifth straight victory.
The star right-hander doesn't seem too concerned about taking the mound Tuesday night when he tries to extend his recent dominance over the visiting Minnesota Twins.
Verlander (2-2, 1.95 ERA) allowed two runs and eight hits against Kansas City on Thursday, but left with a 3-2 lead after the seventh inning with what appeared to be a blister on his pitching thumb. Detroit's bullpen gave up the tying run in the eighth and five in the 10th of an 8-3 loss.
Verlander, meanwhile, doesn't think it will be an issue.
"It developed a little in my last start. Started getting a little bit worse after the fifth, and I started to notice it,' Verlander said. "I didn't want to risk it becoming something that I might have to deal with in my next start and the start after that, and then it turns into a month. This way, it isn't an issue. That's why I got out of there.'
The problem was later deemed a crack in the skin near his fingernail.
"He's dealt with it before," head athletic trainer Kevin Rand told the Tigers' official website. "Basically, it's a crack in the skin just like regular people working outside. Unfortunately, the location of it in the thumb area caused him to not be able to pitch coming out in the eighth inning."
Of more concern for Verlander and manager Jim Leyland might be the play of his teammates when their ace pitches. In addition to the bullpen's struggles in his last appearance, Detroit (14-10) has been shut out in two others.
Verlander has not needed much support while winning seven straight starts against the Twins (11-11) and has gone 8-0 with a 1.71 ERA in nine since a 2-0 loss to them at Comerica Park on April 27, 2010. He allowed four hits and struck out seven in five scoreless innings of a 4-2 season-opening win at Minnesota.
Twins star Joe Mauer is a lifetime .373 hitter with three homers against Verlander. However, he's gone hitless (0 for 19) in five straight games for first time during his stellar career after an 0-for-4 effort in Monday's 4-3 loss to the Tigers.
Prince Fielder hit a towering three-run homer in the sixth to help rally his team from down two runs in the series opener. Miguel Cabrera, who hit a three-run homer in Sunday's 8-3 win to complete a sweep of Atlanta, had his 12-game hitting streak snapped.
Fielder is 3 for 20 (.150) in his last six games but batting .343 (12 for 35) with three home runs and 12 RBIs in 10 games against the Twins at Comerica.
He's 2 for 6 with a double against scheduled Minnesota starter Vance Worley (0-3, 6.38), who allowed three runs in six innings of the opening-day loss to Verlander.
The right-hander gave up 14 runs in six innings over his next two starts but has yielded three in 12 frames of the last two. He allowed two runs in five innings of a 2-1 loss to Texas on Thursday.
"Worley's had a couple starts where he didn't look like he had a whole heck of a lot, but he made it through five innings just by battling," manager Ron Gardenhire told the Twins' official website.
Worley is 0-6 with a 6.56 ERA in 10 starts since he won at Washington on Aug. 1 while with Philadelphia.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-30-13 01:10 PM |
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Preview: Astros (8-18) at Yankees (15-10)
Game: 2
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: April 30, 2013 7:05 PM EDT
A pitching matchup between the New York Yankees' Hiroki Kuroda and Houston Astros' Philip Humber appears to be a colossal mismatch.
Kuroda has never lost in seven career starts against the Astros while Humber has been hit hard in losing all five starts for Houston heading into Tuesday night's matchup.
Houston (8-18) ended a nine-game road slide as well as New York's four-game win streak with a 9-1 rout in Monday's opener of a three-game set.
The Yankees (15-10), though, figure to be heavily favored in the second game.
Kuroda (3-1, 2.79 ERA) is 3-0 with a 1.61 ERA against the Astros and brings in a 15-inning scoreless streak against them.
New York has won four straight starts by the right-hander, who is 3-0 with a 2.28 ERA in that span. He gave up three runs over six innings Thursday in a 5-3 home win over Toronto, settling down and not allowing a hit over his final four frames.
"This might be his best performance of the year," manager Joe Girardi said. "It says a lot because he didn't have a whole lot."
Kuroda's batterymate was the injured Francisco Cervelli in each of his last three outings, with Chris Stewart catching him in his first two 2013 outings. He has a 1.61 ERA with Cervelli behind the plate, but a 6.75 mark with Stewart.
Opponents are batting .215 against Kuroda this year while that figure is a robust .343 against Humber (0-5, 7.99).
Humber failed to get out of the first inning and allowed eight runs two starts ago against Cleveland before yielding seven over 4 2-3 innings Thursday in a 7-2 defeat at Boston.
"I'm just not making good pitches," Humber said. "It's not fun to go out there and get hit around like that."
The right-hander is 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA in two starts against the Yankees back in 2011.
One factor in his favor would be if he faces Ichiro Suzuki, who got the night off Monday. Humber is the pitcher Suzuki owns the most at_bats against without a hit, going 0 for 9 - 0 for 3 in Humber's perfect game last season with the White Sox.
Houston had 17 hits for its second-highest total to break a four-game overall slide. Carlos Corporan homered among his four hits and drove in four runs, Brandon Barnes had three hits and three RBIs and each set career highs for hits and RBIs.
The Astros recovered after being outscored 28-10 in a four-game sweep by the Red Sox.
"I know they can do it,' manager Bo Porter said. "You're just waiting for it to happen night in and night out and be consistent. That's why we stay positive, because we know it's in there.'
The top three hitters for New York combined to go 6 for 11, but the rest of the lineup was 2 for 20.
The Yankees were without Kevin Youkilis for the eighth time in nine games because of a bad back. He had an MRI on Monday and he'll get a shot for his back probably on Tuesday.
New York leads the all-time series 8-2.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-30-13 01:14 PM |
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Preview: Red Sox (18-7) at Blue Jays (9-17)
Game: 1
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: April 30, 2013 7:07 PM EDT
While the major league-leading Boston Red Sox find themselves on the verge of a historic April, it's been a forgettable opening month for the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Red Sox go for a franchise-record 19th win in April and sixth straight victory overall as they open a three-game set against the slumping Blue Jays on Tuesday night at Rogers Centre.
Enjoying its best start since 2002, Boston (18-7) has won 13 of 16 while averaging 5.1 runs and hitting .329 with runners in scoring position. The Red Sox, who went 18-8 in April 1998 and 2003, also lead the AL with a .221 opponent batting average.
"The fact is, we have three areas of the game where we're operating pretty well right now," manager John Farrell told MLB's official website. "We've had a very good offensive approach. ... We've done a very good job of chasing a starting pitcher to get into the middle of the bullpen. Our starting pitching has been very consistent. I think we've played very good defensively."
Boston hits the road after completing a four-game sweep of Houston with Sunday's 6-1 victory. John Lackey threw six strong innings and David Ortiz continued his surge with two hits and two RBIs.
Ortiz has gone 16 for 31 with two homers, five doubles and 11 RBIs in eight games since coming off the disabled list. He'll look to stay hot against the Blue Jays, whose 4.46 ERA ranks among the worst in baseball.
Toronto (9-17) returns home following a 1-6 trip. The Blue Jays dropped all four games at Yankee Stadium, falling 3-2 on Sunday.
"Obviously it's been incredibly disappointing for everybody," losing pitcher R.A. Dickey said. "The beauty of baseball is that it's only one month, so there's still time. But at the same time, we just can't keep going out there and saying, 'Oh, things will turn.' We know what needs to be done. It's just a matter of doing it."
While many expected the Blue Jays to compete for the AL East crown, they'll conclude April at the bottom of the division. Batting .229 on the season, Toronto has hit .179 with runners in scoring position during a 1-6 stretch.
"We just need to be more consistent and obviously I've looked at the team overall offensive stats, we're much better than that," said Jose Bautista, hitting .192 with seven homers. "It will even out, it will go back up, we just need to get hot sooner rather than later and just play consistent overall. That's it."
Bautista hasn't faced anyone more than scheduled starter Jon Lester, going 10 for 45 with four homers and 11 strikeouts.
Lester (4-0, 2.27 ERA) wasn't at his best but beat Oakland 6-5 on Wednesday after allowing season highs of three runs, six hits and six walks over 5 2-3 innings.
Lester was superb in a 13-0 win at Toronto on April 7, striking out six over seven innings of five-hit ball. The left-hander is 6-2 with a 2.13 ERA over his last nine road starts against the Blue Jays.
Toronto counters with Brandon Morrow (0-2, 5.27), who allowed four runs over 6 1-3 innings in Wednesday's 6-5, 11-inning win at Baltimore.
The right-hander has gone 1-3 over 16 games - eight starts - versus Boston while compiling an 8.28 ERA, by far his highest mark against any team he's faced more than twice. Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury and Ortiz are a combined 24 for 52 with seven homers against Morrow.
The Red Sox are expected to activate reliever Joel Hanrahan from the disabled list Tuesday. He's been out since April 13 with a hamstring injury.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-30-13 01:16 PM |
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Preview: Phillies (12-14) at Indians (10-13)
Game: 1
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: April 30, 2013 7:10 PM EDT
It took more time than he would have liked, but Roy Halladay has gotten back to the level at which he's accustomed to pitching.
That's good news for a Philadelphia Phillies team which manager Charlie Manuel believes is starting to click.
Philadelphia seeks a fourth straight victory as it visits the Cleveland Indians to open a two-game interleague series Tuesday night.
After finishing an injury-plagued 2012 with a 4.49 ERA that was his worst in 12 years, Halladay (2-2, 5.08 ERA) struggled through a disappointing spring before giving up 12 runs in 7 1-3 innings while losing his first two outings this season.
"I think coming out of spring training, having short outings, having some poor outings, coming back wanting to prove that I was healthy, my focus wasn't on making pitches," Halladay told the team's official website. "My focus was on trying to prove something that necessarily didn't need to be proven."
The two-time Cy Young Award winner has seemingly gotten his mind right and his form back, going 2-0 with a 1.71 ERA over his last three starts. He allowed one run and struck out eight in six innings of a 5-3 loss to Pittsburgh on Wednesday.
"I feel good," Halladay said. "I think that there's always things to improve on. Everything is coming around. If I can be a little more effective early on in the game, I think that would be ideal."
Ryan Howard also has gotten things going since beginning the season in a 4-for-27 funk. He's batting .351 during a 10-game hitting streak and has driven in 10 runs over the last five.
Howard's pinch-hit, two-run double broke a seventh-inning tie as Philadelphia (12-14) beat the New York Mets 5-1 to complete a three-game sweep Sunday.
Catcher Carlos Ruiz, an All-Star last season, returned from a 25-game suspension for using a banned substance, going 1 for 4 with a double.
Manuel, whose team outscored the Mets 18-5 during the series, wasn't keen on having a day off between games given how well the Phillies have been playing.
"I want to keep playing," Manuel said. "We're starting to play sounder baseball."
Cleveland may be starting to feel that way as well.
Ryan Raburn went 4 for 4 with two homers and four RBIs as the Indians won 9-0 in Kansas City on Monday, splitting a four-game set.
Asdrubal Cabrera drove in two runs and is hitting .414 during an eight-game hitting streak for Cleveland (10-13), which outscored the Royals 19-3 to win the last two games.
Cabrera has five RBIs in the past five games after having just three through his first 16.
"It looks like he's starting to get a little more aggressive with his swings. That's good," manager Terry Francona told the team's official website.
The Indians look to stay on track behind Zach McAllister, who has pitched relatively well but doesn't have much to show for it.
McAllister (1-3, 3.52) hasn't given up more than three earned runs in any of his four starts while getting two runs of support or fewer in three of them. The right-hander allowed three runs and walked five in 5 2-3 innings of Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox.
Halladay is 6-2 with a 3.52 ERA in 12 career starts versus the Indians, though he hasn't faced them since 2009.
These teams haven't met since the Phillies swept a three-game set June 22-24, 2010.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-30-13 01:18 PM |
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Preview: Nationals (13-13) at Braves (16-9)
Game: 2
Venue: Turner Field
Date: April 30, 2013 7:10 PM EDT
Tim Hudson hasn't won since beating the Washington Nationals earlier this month.
Doing it again would only continue the Atlanta Braves' recent dominance of their NL East rival Tuesday night at Turner Field.
Hudson (2-1, 4.50 ERA) is 0-1 while surrendering nine runs and 15 hits - three homers - in 10 innings over his last two starts. That's been in stark contrast to his 1.32 ERA while winning his previous two games, including a 3-1 victory at Washington on April 13.
He outpitched Stephen Strasburg while holding the Nationals to one run and four hits in seven innings.
Hudson, though, lost both of his home starts against them last year with an 8.53 ERA. That includes an 8-4 defeat July 1, when he allowed six runs in six innings opposite Gio Gonzalez - also scheduled to start Tuesday - for the Braves' most recent home loss to the Nationals.
Since then, Washington has lost four straight in Atlanta, getting held to eight runs. The Braves' overall winning streak over the Nationals has reached eight games - the longest by either team in the all-time series.
Atlanta (16-9) kept that run going in the opener of this four-game set Monday, winning 3-2 after Andrelton Simmons' sacrifice fly in the seventh inning scored Gerald Laird for the decisive run. Laird reached on a walk, then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt before eventually scoring in a rare sequence of small ball from the Braves, who lead the majors with 36 homers.
"We battled and did the little things right," said Simmons, the second-year shortstop. "We got the bunt down. We got the sacrifice fly to get the run in."
Washington (13-13) had 10 hits Monday, but the team is batting .207 with 14 runs over the last eight meetings with the Braves.
Gonzalez (2-1, 4.50) is 2-3 with a 6.08 ERA in five career starts against Atlanta, and they've all come since being acquired in a trade with Oakland prior to last season. Those defeats are the most he's suffered against any opponent in that span.
The left-hander's latest meeting with the Braves on April 14 marked the most runs he's allowed in a Washington uniform. The seven earned runs he surrendered were his most since 2010, giving up homers to Simmons and Justin Upton before getting pulled after five innings of a 9-0 loss.
Gonzalez, though, is coming off his best outing of the season, yielding a solo homer and no other hits in eight innings of Thursday's 8-1 victory over Cincinnati.
"His ball moves a heck of a lot, and it's hard to sit on, but it's a lot easier to sit on if you see a lot of pitches in every at-bat," manager Davey Johnson told the team's official website.
Jayson Werth is 7 for 21 over the past six games, but it's unclear if he'll play after fouling a ball off his left foot in the eighth inning Tuesday. He completed the at-bat - a strikeout - before being replaced in right field by Roger Bernadina.
Werth is a .385 hitter with four doubles and three homers off Hudson, and his 15 hits are a career high against any pitcher.
Bryce Harper hasn't been as effective, going 3 for 12 versus Hudson, and he's 2 for 14 with one homer in four meetings with the Braves this year.
He has one more chance to take sole possession of the franchise record for homers in April, sitting on nine to remain tied with Henry Rodriguez's mark from 1996.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-30-13 01:20 PM |
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CNOTES
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Preview: Mets (10-14) at Marlins (7-19)
Game: 2
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: April 30, 2013 7:10 PM EDT
David Wright was healthy enough to make a late appearance in the series opener, and he could return to the New York Mets' lineup in the next game.
Giancarlo Stanton won't be available for the Miami Marlins for at least a couple weeks.
The light-hitting Mets and the major league-worst Marlins are back at it Tuesday night in Miami after the longest-ever game between these NL East foes.
A stiff neck kept Wright out of the starting lineup Monday for the first time this season, but he came on in the 13th inning and struck out.
"I'm very unconcerned about it," Wright told the Mets' official website prior to the 4-3, 15-inning loss. "It's not something I'm worried about."
The Mets (10-14) are extremely concerned about their .169 batting average and 10 total runs during a season-worst five-game skid. They went 1 for 18 with runners in scoring position Monday, the lone hit an infield RBI single by Ruben Tejada in the 15th.
"We just cant drive any runs in," manager Terry Collins said.
That's been an ongoing issue for the Marlins (7-19), who have crossed home plate a major league-low 71 times.
Miami has scored 10 while winning two straight for the first time since Oct. 1 and 2 against the Mets, but Stanton landed on the 15-day disabled list after Monday's game due to a strained right hamstring. The injury occurred in the 10th inning when Stanton, second in the NL with 37 homers last year, was trying to beat out a tapper.
It was horrible news for a team that just finished celebrating Nick Green's game-winning sacrifice fly. The 5-hour, 31-minute contest went three innings longer than any other Mets-Marlins game.
"We're enjoying this win," manager Mike Redmond said, "but at the same time, on Tuesday the reality will set in that (Stanton is) not in the lineup anymore."
Stanton's absence may come as particularly bad news to Kevin Slowey (0-2, 2.43 ERA), who enters his start Tuesday already with the second-lowest run-support average in the majors at 1.21. The offseason acquisition has made five starts and given up eight total runs, including a season-high three in six innings of Thursday's 4-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs.
That leaves Slowey, who didn't pitch last season due to injuries and went 0-8 in 2011, winless since Sept. 18, 2010, while with Minnesota. He'll try to help the Marlins win three straight for the first time since July 4-6.
New York's starter Tuesday, Jeremy Hefner (0-2, 5.14), hasn't won since a 4-2 victory at Miami on Oct. 3. The Mets have lost each of his five starts this season, but Hefner's last outing - Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers - gave him some reason for optimism.
"When the guys come to the park and they see my name, I don't want it to be, 'Oh man, we've got to score 10 runs because Hef's pitching,'" he told the Mets' official website after giving up one run in a season-high seven innings. "I want it to be, 'Oh, Hef's pitching today. Let's just grind out a couple, and we'll be in it."
Catcher John Buck is doing his part to get the Mets back into the win column. With a two-run shot Monday, Buck matched the club record for homers in April with nine. He's one RBI shy of tying the April team mark of 26, set by Jeff Kent in 1994.
Buck is 3 for 11 with a double off Slowey, while Wright is 2 for 3 with a homer.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-30-13 01:21 PM |
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Preview: White Sox (10-14) at Rangers (16-9)
Game: 1
Venue: Rangers Ballpark in Arlington
Date: April 30, 2013 8:05 PM EDT
After calling Chicago home for eight seasons, A.J. Pierzynski has settled in nicely with the Texas Rangers.
Yu Darvish is especially glad to have him behind the plate.
Pierzynski faces his former team for the first time as the Rangers open a three-game set against the visiting White Sox on Tuesday night.
A fan favorite from 2005-12, Pierzynski helped lead Chicago to a World Series championship during his first year with the club. The two sides, though, went in different directions this offseason, with the White Sox (10-14) turning to Tyler Flowers and Hector Gimenez and Pierzynski signing a one-year deal with Texas (16-9).
"I don't know if it makes it any less strange or anything, or more strange," White Sox manager Robin Ventura told MLB's official website. "But you know it will be good to see him. He's chatty. I don't have to bat. So I don't have to listen to that part. I'm sure he'll be chatty."
Batting .303 with two homers during an eight-game hitting streak, Pierzynski has had arguably an even bigger impact behind the plate - especially when it comes to Darvish's development.
"He's an unselfish person, an unselfish catcher and he lets me lead the game," Darvish said through an interpreter. "He lets me pitch my game. I think he's a very good catcher and I really like pitching with him."
Darvish (4-1, 1.65 ERA) has been tremendous in his second season since coming over from Japan, striking out a major league-leading 49 over 32 2-3 innings. He struck out 11 and allowed three hits over six innings in Wednesday's 11-3 road win over the Los Angeles Angels, extending his scoreless innings streak to 18.
"This is about as dominant as I've seen someone," manager Ron Washington said. "This guy is finesse and power. He can do either of those, and because he can do either of those when he's on he can make good hitters look bad. When he's not on, he has enough in his repertoire that he can still hang in the ballgame."
The Rangers could surely use another dominant display from Darvish as they try to bounce back from back-to-back losses for the first time this season. Texas is coming off a four-game split at Minnesota after falling 7-2 on Saturday and 5-0 on Sunday.
"It's hard to win when you don't score any runs," Pierzynski said. "We really didn't have a lot of opportunities."
The Rangers, who prior to Monday hadn't had a day off since April 17, have gone 10 for 54 (.185) with runners in scoring position over their last six games.
"The off day is definitely needed," Washington said. "This is the big leagues. You can't be complaining about the schedule. We're not going to make any excuses."
The White Sox are also looking to avoid a third straight loss after splitting a four-game set against Tampa Bay. Paul Konerko hit a two-run homer in Sunday's 8-3 defeat, Chicago's sixth in nine games.
"We just have to keep grinding," Konerko said.
The White Sox turn to Jose Quintana (2-0, 2.78), who's won back-to-back starts and compiled a 0.96 ERA over his last three. The left-hander gave up two runs and four hits over five-plus innings Wednesday in a 3-2 win over Cleveland.
Quintana allowed one run, two hits and struck out a career-high eight over eight innings in a 2-1 win July 5 in his only appearance against Texas.
In his lone matchup versus Chicago, Darvish was tagged for six runs over 6 1-3 innings of a 9-5 defeat July 27.
The White Sox took six of nine from Texas last season, splitting six games in Arlington.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-30-13 01:23 PM |
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Preview: Padres (9-16) at Cubs (10-15)
Game: 2
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: April 30, 2013 8:05 PM EDT
If the Chicago Cubs are to continue their recent run of success, they likely must find a way to get the best of San Diego's Edinson Volquez.
Winless against Volquez during his career, the Cubs hope to change that while looking for their fifth win in six games Tuesday night against the visiting Padres.
Cody Ransom and Darwin Barney, the seventh and eighth hitters in the lineup, each had two hits with two RBIs in Chicago's 5-3 win over San Diego on Monday.
"These guys are major league players and somebody's got to hit at the bottom of the order,' Padres manager Bud Black said.
The Cubs (10-15) have won five of seven and their pitchers have allowed three or fewer runs in six of those contests. Their bullpen has a 1.39 ERA in 12 games after posting a 6.06 ERA in the first 13.
"For whatever reason, the guys are getting the job done and getting the big outs with whomever I bring out at the time,' manager Dale Sveum said.
The Cubs' 85 runs are still among the fewest in the majors, but they received some timely hitting Monday. Scott Hairston and Ransom hit back-to-back homers in the second inning, and Ransom drove home the go-ahead run in the sixth. Barney followed with his second two-out RBI double of the night.
Ransom was San Diego's opening-day third baseman, but the team designated him for assignment after he started 0 for 11. He's 6 for 13 with two homers and three RBIs in four games since Chicago claimed him off waivers.
The Cubs have won four in a row and six of seven at home against the Padres (9-16), but Volquez (1-3, 6.39 ERA) is 4-0 with a 2.21 ERA in six starts against them. The right-hander has not faced Chicago since 2011 with Cincinnati, but is 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA in three starts at Wrigley Field.
Volquez yielded 17 runs in 12 1-3 inning to lose his first three starts, but allowed two over 13 frames of the last two. He scattered five hits without a walk in seven scoreless innings of a 2-1 victory over Milwaukee on Wednesday.
"We've seen the good in the year and a month that he (Volquez) has been here,' Black told the Padres' official website. "No doubt he struggled in a couple of his five starts this season. I thought he pitched well. Last week in San Francisco (two runs allowed in six innings of a 3-2 loss) this was a carryover and obviously a much better performance.'
Chicago counters with Edwin Jackson (0-3, 4.76), who tries for a sixth time to earn his first win as a Cub.
The right-hander allowed three runs in six innings but continued to struggle with his control and walked four during a 4-3 win at Miami on Thursday. His 15 walks and 17.5 pitches per inning both rank among the highest in the majors.
Jackson is 0-3 with a 3.99 ERA in six starts versus San Diego.
Everth Cabrera had three hits Monday for the Padres, who had their four-game winning streak end.
The San Diego shortstop is 10 for 18 (.556) with three doubles in the last five road games. He's batting .429 (9 for 21) in five at Wrigley.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-30-13 01:24 PM |
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CNOTES
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Preview: Rays (12-13) at Royals (13-10)
Game: 1
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: April 30, 2013 8:10 PM EDT
James Shields spent some good years with the Tampa Bay Rays.
The right-hander is helping the Kansas City Royals' staff get off to a good one in 2013.
Shields faces his former Rays teammates for the first time in Tuesday night's series opener at Kauffman Stadium.
Drafted by the Rays out of high school in 2000, Shields (1-2, 3.09 ERA) came up through the organization and went 87-73 with a 3.89 ERA in seven seasons. An All-Star in 2011 when he finished third in the AL Cy Young voting, the right-hander is the Rays' all-time leader in wins, games started (217), complete games (19), innings (1,454 2-3) and strikeouts (1,250).
Shields, though, now wears a Royals uniform after coming over with Wade Davis and shortstop Elliot Johnson in the December deal that Kansas City (13-10) made to bolster a staff that was 12th in the AL last season with a 5.01 ERA. That group has a 3.64 ERA this year despite a second consecutive rough outing from Davis in Monday's 9-0 loss to Cleveland.
Davis hopes to face the Rays (12-13) when the Royals play in St. Petersburg in June, but Shields gets his chance on Tuesday.
"It's kind of understandable that it's going to feel a little different," he told MLB.com. "It'll be exciting. It'll be fun."
It would be an even more enjoyable experience for Shields if he's on his game. The right-hander was unhittable to end his last outing, retiring the last 10 he faced in Thursday's 8-3, 10-inning victory at Detroit.
"The deeper he gets in those situations, the tougher he gets," manager Ned Yost told the Royals' official website.
Rays designated hitter Luke Scott has been a tough out for Shields, going 12 for 37 with a homer and four doubles, and he could make his season debut on Tuesday. He's been out with a strained right calf.
Scheduled starter Alex Cobb (3-1, 1.82) could be throwing to Jose Molina, who missed Sunday's 8-3 road win over the Chicago White Sox after getting hit above the knee by a pitch in the previous game.
Cobb will try to match a career high by winning a third consecutive start after striking out a season-best seven and finishing two outs shy of a complete game in Wednesday's 3-0 victory over the New York Yankees.
"I knew throwing out my first bullpen (session) that I was going to have good fastball location," Cobb told the Rays' official website. "… When you have that mindset going into the first couple of innings, you get in kind of a groove and things just start to work out for you."
The right-hander is 1-1 with a 4.80 ERA in two starts against the Royals, both in Kansas City.
Cobb will face a Kansas City team that just fell out of the AL Central lead with its second straight loss.
"We had an off-day," said third baseman Mike Moustakas, who had one of the team's season-low three hits.
Alex Gordon went 0 for 4 for a second straight game and Alcides Escobar's team-best nine-game hitting streak ended. However, the Royals' 1-2 hitters were a combined 17 for 43 (.395) with seven extra-base hits off Rays pitching - including 6 for 7 off Cobb - last season to help Kansas City win four of six matchups, including all three at Kauffman Stadium.
The Royals have won seven of 10 at home in this series.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-30-13 01:26 PM |
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CNOTES
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Preview: Pirates (15-11) at Brewers (13-11)
Game: 2
Venue: Miller Park
Date: April 30, 2013 8:10 PM EDT
Though the Milwaukee Brewers' lengthy winning streak ended in his last start, Marco Estrada certainly could help them extend one against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Coming off an outing in which he hardly deserved his first loss, Estrada tries to continue his mastery of the Pirates and lift the Brewers to a ninth consecutive victory in this NL Central series Tuesday night at Miller Park.
With Milwaukee (13-11) seeking its first 10-game win streak in a decade, Estrada (2-1, 3.86 ERA) was given no runs of support for the second time in three starts Wednesday. He gave up two runs - one earned - and five hits in 6 1-3 innings of a 2-1 loss at San Diego.
"It was probably the best I've felt all year," he told the Brewers' official website. "I thought I located pretty well. But, obviously, one pitch got away from me."
That one pitch ended up out of the park as Carlos Quentin's solo shot was the seventh homer allowed by Estrada. That's four more than any other Brewers starter.
Estrada, though, is 3-0 with a 1.43 ERA in eight games - five starts - versus the Central-leading Pirates. He has 40 strikeouts and three walks in 37 2-3 innings against them.
Pittsburgh (15-11) entered this series having won five of seven on a 10-game trip but would tie a season high for runs allowed Monday in a 10-4 loss, dropping its fifth straight at Miller Park.
The Brewers are 45-7 there against the Pirates since the start of 2007, the best home record by any team against a division opponent during that stretch.
"They play well here," said manager Clint Hurdle, whose Pirates have given up 59 runs during their eight-game losing streak to Milwaukee. "You've got to do some things different than we did tonight to slow down the offense. We didn't."
The Brewers have won seven straight home games overall, and Pittsburgh scheduled starter James McDonald (2-2, 4.38) is 1-3 with an 8.75 ERA in five starts versus Milwaukee - all at Miller Park.
In his last start there, McDonald gave up a career-high four homers in a 12-8 loss Sept. 2. That was also the last time Milwaukee hit five out of the park prior to Monday, when Norichika Aoki, Jean Segura, Carlos Gomez, Yuniesky Betancourt and starter Yovani Gallardo all went deep as the Brewers had 13 hits - their most in three weeks.
They were held to four hits Sunday in a 2-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"We turned the page today," said Segura, who also had one of Milwaukee's three triples.
McDonald appears to have done that, stringing together a couple of nice starts since getting tagged for eight runs - three earned - in 1 2-3 innings of a 10-6 loss to St. Louis two weeks ago.
"The stuff, for the most part, was crisp, it was on," Hurdle told the Pirates' official website after McDonald yielded three runs in Thursday's 6-4 win at Philadelphia. "So to speak to the point, he seems to be making progress."
The Pirates would like to see that from Andrew McCutchen, whose batting average sits at .217 after finishing third in the majors last year at .327. However, he singled and had an RBI groundout Monday, giving the two-time All-Star a .432 average with four homers and 11 RBIs during a nine-game hitting streak at Miller Park.
Gomez is batting a team-best .524 with three homers during the Brewers' home win streak.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-30-13 01:29 PM |
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CNOTES
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Preview: Reds (15-12) at Cardinals (14-11)
Game: 2
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: April 30, 2013 8:15 PM EDT
The Cincinnati Reds are starting to show some improvement on the road, but manager Dusty Baker isn't close to fully pleased.
The St. Louis Cardinals certainly aren't thrilled with their recent efforts at the plate.
The Reds go for a third straight road win by trying to capitalize on the Cardinals' offensive shortcomings again Tuesday night.
Cincinnati (15-12) is 3-8 on the road, but the team followed Sunday's 5-2 win at Washington with a 2-1 victory over St. Louis in the opener of this three-game series.
The Reds have hit .254 in those two wins after mustering a .187 average during an eight-game road losing streak. Baker, though, is expecting more from the team that won the NL Central last year.
"We're far from satisfied," he said.
The Cardinals (14-11) surely feel the same, on the verge of their first four-game slide since Aug. 28-31.
They've been outscored 16-4 while batting .188 over the last three games. Their .154 average with runners in scoring position during that span is a dramatic drop from their major league-leading .327 mark.
St. Louis went 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position Monday.
"We were expecting that big hit, especially when we got to two outs," manager Mike Matheny said. "Those were the things we've been doing this season and kind of counting on it happening, and didn't have it (Monday).
"I don't see a theme. Guys are going about it the right way."
Among the struggling Cardinals is David Freese, hitless in his last 16 at_bats. Allen Craig, though, remains a bright spot, posting his fifth multihit effort in eight games Monday and batting .414 with runners in scoring position on the season.
St. Louis may not need much production at the plate with Jaime Garcia (2-1, 2.89 ERA) on the mound. The left-hander is 6-0 with a 2.40 ERA in seven home starts versus the Reds, and his eight overall wins against them are twice as many as any other opponent.
The left-hander didn't get a decision in the latest matchup April 8, when he allowed three runs with a season-high 10 strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings of a 13-4 victory.
Garcia got his first win since his season debut in a 4-2 victory at Washington on Wednesday, yielding one run and four hits in 5 2-3 innings.
Unlike Garcia, Reds scheduled starter Bronson Arroyo (2-2, 4.24) has not fared well against his opponent Tuesday. The veteran right-hander is 1-6 with a 5.58 ERA in his last 10 starts against the Cardinals, including a 5-1 defeat April 9 as he gave up four runs in six innings.
Arroyo is coming off his worst start of the year, surrendering six runs and nine hits - two homers - in six innings of an 8-1 loss at Washington on Thursday. His previous two starts ended in Cincinnati wins, yielding two runs over eight innings in each one.
Freese is 1 for 12 versus Arroyo and Yadier Molina is hitless in his last 19 at_bats against him. However, over the past three-plus seasons, Matt Holliday has hit .353 with three homers in their matchups while Jon Jay has hit .393.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-30-13 01:31 PM |
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CNOTES
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Preview: Giants (14-12) at Diamondbacks (15-11)
Game: 2
Venue: Chase Field
Date: April 30, 2013 9:40 PM EDT
While the San Francisco Giants look to Madison Bumgarner to continue his strong start, they hope star third baseman Pablo Sandoval has not aggravated an injury that nagged him during spring training.
With Sandoval's status uncertain, Bumgarner tries to help the visiting Giants build on their first victory in a week Tuesday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
San Francisco (14-12) snapped its season-high five-game skid with a 6-4 win at Arizona on Monday, but Sandoval left with elbow discomfort. Sandoval, who had two hits with an RBI and is batting .327, was bothered by an elbow injury during spring training but has played in all but one game this season.
With or without him, the Giants should have some momentum.
Brandon Belt homered and delivered a two-out, two-run tiebreaking single in the eighth to help the Giants end a slide that began with two straight home losses to the Diamondbacks (15-11) last week.
"It's been a tough stretch for us here lately,' said Belt, who is batting .522 (12 for 23) with two homers and seven RBIs in his last seven games versus Arizona. "But I don't think our attitude really changed coming into this game. We knew we had a team that could win and that's what we did.'
The Giants should feel even more confident behind Bumgarner (3-0, 1.87 ERA), who went 5-1 with a 2.31 ERA in his first six starts of 2012 and has yielded seven runs in 33 2-3 innings through five in 2013. He's struck out 34 and walked eight while holding opposing hitters to a .190 average.
Bumgarner gave up one run, five hits and struck out seven in 7 1-3 innings of a 3-2, 10-inning loss to Arizona on Wednesday.
"I felt good," the left-hander told the Giants' official website. "Command felt good and arm felt good. Body felt pretty good. Everything was there."
That's not been the case recently at Arizona for Bumgarner, who is 1-2 with a 5.56 ERA in four starts at Chase Field after he went 1-0 with a 1.26 ERA in his first two there.
Arizona's Martin Prado is 2 for 13 against Bumgarner, but had two hits Monday after suffering through a 1-for-18 slump the previous four contests. Prado, Jason Kubel and Eric Chavez each homered as the Diamondbacks rallied from a 3-0 deficit but lost for the second time in seven games.
"We hit the ball out of the ballpark, we tied it up and they didn't die,' Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. "It went down to the end but it just wasn't our night.'
The two-run shot is Kubel's only hit in six at_bats since coming off the disabled list Sunday from a strained quad.
Teammate Trevor Cahill (1-3, 3.00 ERA) takes the ball looking to build on Thursday's performance, when he gave up a run and overcame four walks in five innings of a 3-2 win over Colorado. Though Cahill earned his first win, he hopes to be more efficient after throwing 105 pitches against the Rockies.
"I'm searching for command,' said Cahill, who has walked 12 in his five starts. "I'm getting behind in the count and it's like I'm losing a feel for the sinker. It's not going where I want the pitch to go.'
The right-hander has walked 12 in seven starts while going 4-2 with a 2.76 ERA versus San Francisco.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-30-13 01:32 PM |
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CNOTES
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Preview: Angels (9-16) at Athletics (15-12)
Game: 2
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: April 30, 2013 10:05 PM EDT
Though Garrett Richards has filled in nicely since ace Jered Weaver went on the disabled list, the Los Angeles Angels have sunk to the bottom of the AL with a team ERA even one of baseball's most expensive offenses can't regularly overcome.
The Oakland Athletics' pitching hasn't been much better, largely because of Jarrod Parker's struggles.
After a wild 19-inning affair in the series opener, Richards opposes Parker as the AL West rivals continue their three-game set Tuesday night in Oakland.
Los Angeles had a 3.11 ERA through its first five games, but since Weaver suffered a broken left elbow April 7 in a loss to Texas, it has posted a 5.08 ERA and ranks last in the AL with a 4.69 overall mark.
Richards (1-1, 3.65 ERA) has gone 1-1 with a 3.98 ERA in three starts after entering the rotation. He yielded just two hits while striking out a career high-tying eight in seven innings of a 10-0 win over Detroit on April 20.
His numbers weren't great Thursday - giving up five runs and nine hits in seven innings of a 6-0 loss to Seattle - but manager Mike Scioscia liked what he saw.
``I thought Garrett pitched much better than his line scores will show,' Scioscia said. ``As far as him getting after it and the movement on his pitches, he was terrific. It didn't work out, but I thought he pitched a strong game."
The right-hander has never started against the A's, pitching 2 2-3 innings of scoreless relief over three appearances last season, and he'll look to keep Oakland at bay while trying to avoid overtaxing his bullpen.
Los Angeles (9-16), which added Josh Hamilton in the offseason to a lineup already featuring Albert Pujols, Mark Trumbo and 2012 AL Rookie of the Year and MVP runner-up Mike Trout, has already lost five times when scoring at least five runs.
Pujols went 4 for 8 with a pair of homers after going 3 for 31 over his previous eight games, and Trumbo added a solo shot and three RBIs, but the Angels fell 10-8 when Brandon Moss hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the 19th - his second of the contest - in the longest game in the history of each franchise.
``It was a crazy game and I'm glad it's over,' Moss said. ``That was exhausting, it really was.'
Hamilton went 0 for 8 to drop his average to .202, and he's 0 for 10 with seven strikeouts lifetime against Parker, who is battling his own struggles.
The Angels will likely have a new center fielder and leadoff hitter for this game after Peter Bourjos strained his left hamstring running out a sacrifice bunt in the 10th inning, and the Athletics had outfielders Coco Crisp and Chris Young leave with lower-body muscle strains as well.
``It stinks to play this long into the night and come out on the wrong end,' Bourjos said.
The A's (15-12) have a 4.28 team ERA, though Parker (0-4, 8.10) appeared to be getting back on track after a solid outing in a 1-0 defeat at Tampa Bay on April 20. However, he gave up six runs and eight hits while walking three in 5 1-3 innings of Thursday's 10-2 loss to Baltimore.
He is attempting to remain positive, though he Tweeted that he was heckled by Oakland fans during his bullpen session prior to Saturday's home loss to the Orioles.
"There's certainly things he's always working on, maybe a little bit more specifically now," manager Bob Melvin told the team's official website.
The right-hander had a tough outing versus the Angels on April 9, giving up two runs and nine hits in only 3 1-3 innings of the Athletics' 9-5 victory.
Jason Donaldson, 2 for 2 with a double lifetime off Richards, is 15 for 29 with 12 RBIs over his last eight games.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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04-30-13 01:34 PM |
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