StatFox.com - Sports Handicapping Community

The Leading Logic In Sports Handicapping

The FoxDen Forum : Powered by vBulletin version 2.3.0 The FoxDen Forum > Sports Handicapping, Trends, and Stats > Cnotes MLB May's News-Notes-Trends & Best Bets !!
Search The Fox Den Forum:

Subscribe to this Thread
Pages (26): « 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7] 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 »

Last Message   Next Message
    
Author
Message    Post A Reply
CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer

Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543

Preview: Angels (11-20) at Astros (8-24)

Game: 1
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: May 07, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


Despite an expensive and star-studded roster, the Los Angeles Angels have matched the worst start in franchise history. Their next opponent has spent far less for its similarly poor results.

The Angels will try to begin a turnaround behind the unbeaten C.J. Wilson as they open a three-game road series against the major league-worst Houston Astros on Tuesday night.

Los Angeles (11-20) has struggled to get on track despite yet another high-priced offseason addition, outfielder Josh Hamilton, that contributed to the team's payroll reaching $142 million. He hasn't helped lift a lineup that includes Albert Pujols, as the Angels are ninth in the AL in runs.

The pitching has been even worse, with the club ranking second to last in the league with a 4.78 ERA - better only than the Astros' 5.75.

The Angels dropped three of four to Baltimore over the weekend, matching their 31-game mark from their inaugural 1961 season.

"We just need to win games," second baseman Howie Kendrick said. "Nobody here wants to lose. I think every guy is out there competing, giving their best, so eventually, at some point, it's got to turn around."

Los Angeles has batted .229 in its last 15 games and Hamilton is hitting .208 with 38 strikeouts in 125 at_bats. The Angels' 23 errors are among the most in the majors.

"We have to do a much better job making pitches, getting hitters out and controlling the defensive side of this game," manager Mike Scioscia said. "We've been terrible at that."

With ace Jered Weaver recovering from a fractured left elbow, Wilson (3-0, 4.04 ERA) has been one of Scioscia's few effective starters. The left-hander has collected all of his wins in his last four games with a 3.42 ERA, a span that started with a six-inning, one-run effort in a 4-1 victory over Houston on April 14.

That moved Wilson to 3-0 with a 2.94 ERA in five career starts against the Astros.

With a payroll of around $27 million, Houston (8-24) is off to the worst start in team history but just 3 1/2 games behind the Angels. The Astros were outscored 26-2 in their final two games against Detroit over the weekend and didn't record a hit until the seventh inning in the series finale Sunday. They finished with four singles in a 9-0 defeat, their season high-tying sixth in a row.

Houston has gone 4-18 in its last 22, a stretch that started when Los Angeles ended its three-game win streak with a 5-4 victory April 13. The Astros are 4-12 at home.

"We've got to figure out how we're going to change it, and it starts man to man on the roster and trying to improve and come out with a different type of fight," reliever Wesley Wright told the team's website. "We have to start it somewhere, and hopefully it starts Tuesday."

Jordan Lyles (0-0, 3.60) will make his second start since being called up from the minors. He gave up two runs, six hits and one walk in five innings of a 7-3 loss to Detroit on Thursday.

Lyles has never faced the Angels, but Hamilton is 4 for 7 with a home run against the right-hander.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-07-13 07:34 AM
CNOTES is offline Click Here to See the Profile for CNOTES Edit post   Report post
CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer

Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543

Preview: Yankees (18-12) at Rockies (18-13)

Game: 1
Venue: Coors Field
Date: May 07, 2013 8:40 PM EDT


Joe Girardi was pleased with the New York Yankees' recent homestand, but their upcoming travels appear more challenging.

New York opens its eight-game trip Tuesday night against the Colorado Rockies, who will try to recapture their knack for timely hits.

The Yankees (18-12) started a 10-game homestand with four wins before splitting the last six games, including a 5-4 loss to the Athletics on Sunday.

"You get a long homestand and you have to take advantage of it, and I thought we did a good job," Girardi said.

While the first seven of those games came against struggling Toronto and Houston, the treks to Colorado, Kansas City and Cleveland pit them against opponents who have been considerably better in the first five weeks.

The Rockies (18-13), though, have cooled since their 13-4 start, falling for the ninth time in 14 games with Sunday's 8-3 loss to Tampa Bay. Their production came only from solo homers by Troy Tulowitzki, Michael Cuddyer and Nolan Arenado.

Colorado was 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position, just the third time they've gone hitless in such situations this season but the second time in three games. The Rockies have been one of baseball's best teams with a .282 average with runners in scoring position.

"We struggled with runners in scoring position," said manager Walt Weiss, who played with Girardi for two seasons in Colorado. "We hit some home runs, but if nobody hits with runners in scoring position, it's tough."

New York starter Hiroki Kuroda (4-1, 2.25 ERA) has developed a dangerous habit of allowing runners early, but has remained mostly unscathed. He's 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA in his last four outings, though the first inning in particular continues to be a high-wire act for the right-hander.

Hitters own a .500 on-base percentage against Kuroda in the first, when he's allowed six of his nine runs this season. He needed 67 pitches to get through the first three frames against Houston last Tuesday, but finished with seven shutout innings and a season-high eight strikeouts in a 7-4 victory.

"You have to be pretty good to stick around to make it through those first three innings and then be good enough to give your team seven innings," Girardi said.

The Rockies will counter with Jorge De La Rosa (2-3, 4.18), who is coming off his worst outing. De La Rosa gave up six runs, 11 hits and two walks over four innings in a 6-2 loss to the Dodgers last Tuesday.

He went six innings in each of his previous four starts, posting a 1.88 ERA.

"I feel bad for the bullpen," De La Rosa told the team's official website. "I'm going to forget this and be ready for the next one."

The left-hander has thrown a combined 11 scoreless innings over two winning starts against the Yankees in his career, but the latest came on July 26, 2007. Travis Hafner is 2 for 9 against him but both hits were home runs.

Kuroda hasn't fared well against Colorado, posting a 1-5 record with a 5.52 ERA. Carlos Gonzalez is 6 for 15 off Kuroda but Tulowitzki is 6 for 28 - though the shortstop is 8 for 21 with two homers in six games against New York.

The Yankees own a 7-5 edge in the series but were swept the last time they visited Colorado, June 19-21, 2007.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-07-13 07:36 AM
CNOTES is offline Click Here to See the Profile for CNOTES Edit post   Report post
CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer

Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543

Preview: Cardinals (20-11) at Cubs (12-20)

Game: 1
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: May 07, 2013 8:05 PM EDT


The St. Louis Cardinals have the best rotation in baseball, and Lance Lynn is leading the charge with a personal winning streak that's reached double digits.

Lynn goes for an 11th straight regular-season victory Tuesday night, when he tries to remain unbeaten against the Chicago Cubs in the opener of a two-game set at Wrigley Field.

St. Louis (20-11) has the NL's best record thanks largely to a starting staff that tops the majors with a 2.21 ERA and 19 wins, compared to six losses.

The latest gem was tossed by Jaime Garcia, who yielded one run in eight innings of Sunday's 10-1 win at Milwaukee.

Of the five starters the Cardinals have used, four have at least four victories to rank among the NL leaders.

Lynn (5-0, 2.75 ERA) leads them all, tying Washington's Jordan Zimmermann for the most in the league.

"It's early, but it's fun so far," said Lynn, who has won all 10 decisions over his last 11 regular-season games - 10 starts - since a loss in relief to the Brewers on Sept. 7.

Over that stretch, the right-hander has a 2.48 ERA with 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings while limiting opponents to a .205 average and four homers. It's the longest win streak by a St. Louis pitcher since Chris Carpenter's run of 11 from July 5-Sept. 7, 2009.

Lynn has won all four of his starts against Chicago - all last year - behind a 2.96 ERA. However, he needed a lot of help in the last one, a 9-6 victory at Wrigley on July 27 as he gave up six runs in five innings.

Despite his overall success against the Cubs, their 2-3-4 hitters - Starlin Castro, Anthony Rizzo and Alfonso Soriano - have hit a combined .387 (12 for 31) against him.

Lynn enters this visit in a dominant stretch, allowing a combined two runs and eight hits over his last three starts and going seven innings in each.

"To be able to pitch like this and win games, it feels good," Lynn said. "I just go out there, concentrate and keep trying to improve every day."

Allen Craig is on a tear, going 9 for 22 with seven RBIs in his last five games. He matched his career high by driving in four runs Sunday, connecting for a three-run double and an RBI triple.

He's helped the Cardinals win six straight, their longest winning streak since an eight-game run July 11-21, 2010.

Craig has a .381 average over his last 11 meetings with Chicago, and he's 4 for 10 with a solo homer off Travis Wood, Tuesday's scheduled starter.

Wood (2-2, 2.50) owns the lowest ERA among Cubs' starters and is limiting opponents to a .176 average, but he's received an average of 2.0 runs of support through six starts.

He sure could use an offensive performance like the one Chicago (12-20) had Monday, setting a season high for runs in a 9-2 win over Texas.

"I think we're a lot better team than what our record shows, and I think a lot of people would agree with us," said Rizzo, who went 3 for 4 with a homer and four RBIs.

The first baseman is batting .464 with six RBIs over the past seven games, and those have all been at Wrigley, raising his season average there 143 points to .295.

Wood is 0-7 with a 4.58 ERA in his last 12 starts at Wrigley dating to a win over Houston on July 1. He lost again there Thursday in a 4-2 defeat to San Diego, tossing seven scoreless innings before being charged with three runs and leaving with two outs in the eighth.

The left-hander went 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in three starts versus St. Louis last year, and both defeats came opposite Lynn.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-07-13 06:43 PM
CNOTES is offline Click Here to See the Profile for CNOTES Edit post   Report post
CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer

Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543

Preview: Marlins (10-23) at Padres (14-18)

Game: 2
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: May 07, 2013 10:10 PM EDT


The San Diego Padres' surge has them out of the NL West cellar.

Chase Headley and rookie Jedd Gyorko deserve much of the credit for that.

The Padres go for their 10th victory in 13 games on Tuesday night when they continue their series at Petco Park against the NL-worst Miami Marlins.

Since falling a season-worst 10 games below .500 on April 23, the Padres (14-18) have gone 9-3 to climb into fourth, percentage points ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Headley, who missed the first 14 games with a broken left thumb, is batting a team-best .348 with two homers and seven RBIs during that stretch. The veteran third baseman went 2 for 4 - including an RBI double - and extended his hitting streak to 11 in Monday's 5-0 victory.

"We're playing the way we thought we were capable at the start of the season,' Headley said after San Diego prevented a fourth consecutive home loss in this series and a third straight victory by the Marlins (10-23).

Gyorko is also doing plenty of damage during the 12-game surge, batting .326 with a team-high three homers - all in the last six games, including a solo shot on Monday.

The Padres, who recorded their first shutout of the season behind Andrew Cashner's gem, will give the ball to Eric Stults (2-2, 5.08 ERA) as they try to win for the eighth time in their last nine at Petco Park.

San Diego has won the veteran left-hander's last two outings, both no-decisions. Stults, who went 6 2-3 innings in Thursday's 4-2 victory at the Chicago Cubs, is 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA in two starts against the Marlins. The last time he faced them was in 2009 while with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Miami will counter with San Diego native Alex Sanabia (2-4, 4.67), who will make his first start against the Padres.

"I'm definitely excited being back home," he told the Padres' official website.

The right-hander, though, has lost each of his last three outings. Sanabia permitted four runs in Thursday's 7-2 road loss to Philadelphia, but two of those were unearned due a fifth-inning error by second baseman Donovan Solano, who was placed on the DL on Monday with left side discomfort.

"I can't control any of (the errors),' Sanabia said. "I just go out and do my job.'

The Marlins, last in the majors with a .226 batting average and 98 runs after getting blanked for the fifth time on Monday, have been doing the job at the plate when Sanabia takes the ball. The right-hander's 4.93 run-support average leads the club.

Sanabia has also been more effective on the road, posting a 3.71 ERA in three outings compared to 5.60 in three in Miami.

Marlins rookie Marcell Ozuna went hitless on Monday for the first time since being called up April 30 to replace injured outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, but he's still batting a team-high .400 (8 for 20) with a homer and four RBIs in the first half of Miami's 10-game trip.

Matt Diaz could see action for the Marlins for the fourth time since being promoted from Triple-A New Orleans on Thursday, as he's 2 for 2 off Stults.

Chris Coghlan is the only other current Marlin with an at-bat against the southpaw, going 0 for 2.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-07-13 06:49 PM
CNOTES is offline Click Here to See the Profile for CNOTES Edit post   Report post
CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer

Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543

Preview: Diamondbacks (17-15) at Dodgers (13-18)

Game: 2
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: May 07, 2013 10:10 PM EDT


It's still early, but the injury-riddled Los Angeles Dodgers are sitting at the bottom of the NL West as one of the biggest disappointments in baseball.

Pitching may be the biggest culprit of late, but Josh Beckett hasn't been of much help all season.

Beckett looks to halt his worst start to a season and snap the Dodgers' latest slide as they face the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.

Despite having the highest payroll in baseball at nearly $221 million, Los Angeles (13-18) is a season-worst five games under .500 after losing five straight - one shy of its season high April 14-20.

Injuries are partly to blame. The Dodgers' disabled list includes shortstop Hanley Ramirez, second baseman Mark Ellis and starters Zack Greinke, Ted Lilly, Stephen Fife and Chad Billingsley, who is out for the season following elbow surgery.

The injuries to the rotation may be taking a toll since the starters have a 7.66 ERA over the last five games. Chris Capuano turned in the latest dismal effort, surrendering six runs in four innings of Monday's 9-2 loss in the opener of this three-game series with Arizona (17-15).

The Dodgers hope Beckett (0-4, 5.24 ERA) can end the current losing streak, but he's winless through his first six starts for the first time in his 13-year career.

Beckett has been particularly bad over his past three outings, posting a 7.80 ERA while allowing 20 hits and eight walks in 15 innings. He surrendered five runs in a season-low four innings of a 7-3 loss to Colorado on Wednesday.

"I've just got to get back to work, figure something out," said Beckett, among the Dodgers' highest-paid players at $17 million this year. "That's what this business is all about. I can't just go out and keep pitching like (this)."

His best performance of the season came at Arizona on April 14, but he allowed a walkoff RBI single to Paul Goldschmidt with one out in the ninth inning to lose 1-0.

Goldschmidt had four hits Monday with a homer and three RBIs. The first baseman is 8 for 16 in four meetings with the Dodgers this season, and he's batted .391 with three homers and nine RBIs in 12 career games at Chavez Ravine.

Like Beckett, Brandon McCarthy (0-3, 7.22) is enduring his worst start to a season through six outings. His ERA and .351 opponents' batting average are among the worst in baseball.

The right-hander seemed headed for his first win in a Diamondbacks uniform Wednesday, but the bullpen surrendered five runs in the final two innings of Wednesday's 9-6 loss to San Francisco. McCarthy gave up four runs and eight hits - two homers - before leaving after the sixth inning with a two-run lead.

"Overall, it was encouraging but there are little things I can do to smooth out the rough edges," McCarthy told the team's official website. "The stuff is there, it's just making sure you put together the whole game plan."

McCarthy won his only career start against Los Angeles on June 19, yielding two hits in seven innings of a 3-0 win with Oakland.

Dodgers slugger Adrian Gonzalez (sore neck) was in the starting lineup Monday for the first time in four games and had two hits. He's 8 for 15 versus Arizona this season.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-07-13 06:51 PM
CNOTES is offline Click Here to See the Profile for CNOTES Edit post   Report post
CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer

Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543

Preview: Phillies (15-18) at Giants (19-13)

Game: 2
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: May 07, 2013 10:15 PM EDT


After one of Philadelphia's aces ended the San Francisco Giants' longest winning streak of the season, Kyle Kendrick hopes to keep showing he's now a solid piece in the rotation.

Kendrick tries for a fourth straight win Tuesday night while looking to help the Phillies to a second consecutive victory over the streaky Giants.

Cliff Lee threw eight strong innings and Michael Young had three hits with two RBIs as Philadelphia (15-18) snapped San Francisco's six-game win streak with a 6-2 victory Monday.

That kicked off a seven-game trip for the Phillies after they had lost four of six, including 14-2 to lowly Miami on Sunday. They hope Monday's performance could be the start of something positive.

"That's more of what we are right there, no doubt," Lee said. "We definitely haven't been playing up to our potential. We've been far short of that, to be honest with you. I think (Monday) is more of a real depiction of what we are.

"I expect us to pick it up a little bit. We underperformed this first month, and it's time for us to turn it on. Tonight was a good start in that direction."

Lee is 3-2 with a 3.26 ERA and the only one of the Phillies' star trio along with Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels - a combined 3-8 with a 6.19 ERA - to boast a winning record. Halladay was placed on the disabled list Monday with a shoulder injury.

Kendrick (3-1, 2.43 ERA), meanwhile, has been Philadelphia's most consistent starter. The team is 4-2 in games he's started.

The right-hander has yielded six runs - four on homers - in 35 innings to go 3-0 in his past five starts. Kendrick tossed a three-hit shutout against the New York Mets on April 26, then beat the Marlins on Thursday when he allowed two runs in seven innings of a 7-2 win.

"I've always kind of expected this," the seven-year veteran said. "It hasn't always been there. Hopefully now I can be consistent every time out. I feel comfortable and confident I can do that."

Kendrick pitched 4 1-3 scoreless innings of relief versus San Francisco last season, but he's 0-1 with a 4.38 ERA in two starts against the Giants.

Young, who entered Monday in a 3-for-19 slump, is batting .333 both at home and on the road.

The only time he faced scheduled San Francisco starter Tim Lincecum (2-1, 4.41) came in the 2010 World Series while with Texas, going 1 for 6. Lincecum went 1-1 in three games versus the Phillies in the NL championship series that year, but he's since gone 3-1 in four regular-season starts against them with a 2.70 ERA.

Lincecum, however, is coming off arguably his worst effort of the season, giving up five runs and 10 hits in five innings Wednesday before the Giants rallied for a 9-6 win at Arizona.

"I could have done better hitting some spots," the right-hander said. "Balls were falling in here in there that I didn't like, but if I execute pitches and keep them down in the zone better, I'll fare better next time out."

Ex-Phillie Hunter Pence homered and had three of the five hits Monday for the Giants (19-13), whose last three weeks have included win streaks of six and four games as well as losing streaks of five and three.

Pence, traded from Philadelphia to San Francisco in July, is 10 for 20 with two homers and six RBIs in five games this month. He's batting .480 in the last six at AT&T Park.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-07-13 06:53 PM
CNOTES is offline Click Here to See the Profile for CNOTES Edit post   Report post
CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer

Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543

Preview: Twins (13-15) at Red Sox (21-11)

Game: 2
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: May 07, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


With Ryan Dempster on the mound and their longest slide of the season in the past, the Boston Red Sox are poised to continue their success at home.

Dempster tries to win his third consecutive start and help the Red Sox extend their home winning streak to seven games Tuesday night against the Minnesota Twins.

After being held to four runs and 18 hits while being swept in a three-game set at Texas, Boston (21-11) rallied from an early 3-0 deficit to beat Minnesota 6-5 in 11 innings Monday at Fenway Park. Stephen Drew homered and doubled home the winner after closer Joel Hanrahan gave up a tying home run to Brian Dozier in the ninth, then left the same inning with tightness in his right arm.

"It was a good night," said Drew, who had four hits to raise his average from .182 to .225 - the first time it's been above .200 this season. "Everybody battles."

Among the majors' top teams with a 12-5 home record, the Red Sox have averaged 6.7 runs during their longest Fenway winning streak since a nine-game run July 5-24, 2011.

"We're just trying to have fun," Drew said.

Boston's Shane Victorino and Dustin Pedroia each homered and had three hits apiece. Pedroia, who homered for the first time since Sept. 11, is 4 for 8 in two games after going 0 for 13 in the previous three.

With a double Monday, ex-Twin David Ortiz is batting .430 during a 26-game hitting streak that dates to last season.

Dempster (2-2, 3.00 ERA), meanwhile, has allowed two or fewer earned runs in four of his last five starts, and three with eight hits over 12 innings of the last two. The right-hander gave up a leadoff homer to Toronto's Brett Lawrie and three other hits in six innings of a 3-1 road win Thursday.

"He doesn't give in,' manager John Farrell said of Dempster, who retired 10 of the final 11 hitters he faced. "He didn't have his best stuff overall (Thursday) but he uses the whole count when he needs to and he's got the knack to not let the game speed up on him and try to reach back and just go with sheer velocity.'

Pitching for the Chicago Cubs and Texas last season, Dempster went 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA against the Twins.

Dozier, Joe Mauer and Josh Willingham each had two hits Monday for Minnesota (13-15), which has lost eight of 12.

"We had opportunities. They had some opportunities, and finally they get the big hit there,' said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, whose team is 2-5 on a 10-game strip. "A tough ballgame for us.'

Dozier, Mauer and Willingham are a combined 1 for 22 versus Dempster.

Minnesota's Scott Diamond (2-2, 3.97) looks for a fourth straight strong start as he faces Boston for the first time. The left-hander, who opened the season on the disabled list while recovering from elbow surgery, gave up two runs and four hits in six innings of a 6-2 win at Detroit on Wednesday.

"I felt like I had a lot better stuff,' said Diamond, who has lasted at least six innings in three straight starts since going 4 1-3 frames in his season debut April 13. "(It) was a big step in the progression toward getting back.'

One day after Boston reliever Andrew Bailey was placed on the DL with a strained right biceps, Hanrahan will be re-evaluated Tuesday.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-07-13 06:55 PM
CNOTES is offline Click Here to See the Profile for CNOTES Edit post   Report post
CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer

Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543

Preview: Blue Jays (12-21) at Rays (14-17)

Game: 2
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: May 07, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


One of the biggest comebacks in team history helped the Toronto Blue Jays earn a rare victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Winning two straight at St. Petersburg for the first time in nearly five years could be difficult if Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ struggles again with his control.

Happ will try to rebound from one of the worst starts of his career Tuesday night when Toronto goes for a season-best third consecutive victory.

Losers of 17 straight road series to the Rays (14-17) - the third-longest streak in AL history by one team in an opponent's ballpark - the Blue Jays (12-21) rallied from seven down after three innings to win 8-7 in Monday's opener. They ended a five-game skid to Tampa Bay and an 0-8 stretch at Tropicana Field.

It was also the fifth time in team history - and first since rallying from seven down in a 12-11 home win over the Rays on June 5, 2007 - that Toronto was victorious after trailing by seven or more.

"That's the way this game is, and you've got to continue to stay positive and come ready to play every day," said catcher J.P. Arencibia, whose two-run homer off Fernando Rodney with two outs and two strikes in the ninth was the difference.

Arencibia wasn't pleased about manager John Gibbons giving Henry Blanco the start behind the plate Monday, but he'll most likely be there Tuesday when Happ (2-2, 3.98) toes the rubber.

The left-hander only allowed two runs but walked a career high-tying seven and was pulled after 3 2-3 innings in his last outing, Thursday's 3-1 loss to Boston.

"He's the type of pitcher where he pitches up in the zone and sometimes he loses (his release point)," Gibbons said of the southpaw, whose 1.44 strikeout-to-walk ratio would be among the majors' worst if he had enough innings to qualify.

The Rays will try to send the Blue Jays to a fifth consecutive loss with Happ pitching, while attempting to avoid their first set of back-to-back home losses this season.

"It's a difficult loss, no question," said manager Joe Maddon, whose team built a 7-0 lead behind Evan Longoria's grand slam and Luke Scott's two-run shot. "But it's about how we react tomorrow."

Tampa Bay hopes Roberto Hernandez (1-4, 5.28) reacts well to his first start in nearly two weeks. The right-hander, whose turn was skipped Thursday when the game in Kansas City was postponed due to weather, was tagged for a career-high three homers in a 5-4 road loss to the Chicago White Sox on April 26. He matched a season high with five runs allowed.

Formerly known as Fausto Carmona, Hernandez is 3-1 with a 4.54 ERA in six starts versus Toronto, the last coming two years ago while with Cleveland.

The right-hander will face a Blue Jays team that's totaled 18 runs and 27 hits in consecutive wins after plating three runs while losing its previous four.

The Rays' lineup, and defense up the middle, could get a boost Tuesday. Second baseman Ben Zobrist is expected to come off the bereavement list, and shortstop Yunel Escobar, a former Blue Jay who pinch hit Monday, may start for the first time since getting hit on the hand by a pitch Saturday.

Tampa Bay last dropped two straight at home in this AL East matchup on July 20 and Aug. 26, 2008. Toronto had lost 21 of 27 overall to the Rays entering this series.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-07-13 06:57 PM
CNOTES is offline Click Here to See the Profile for CNOTES Edit post   Report post
CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer

Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543

Preview: Rangers (20-12) at Brewers (14-16)
BT Movements · Line Movements · Picks
· Bet Now at TopBet.com
Game: 1
Venue: Miller Park
Date: May 07, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


After a promising start to a nine-game homestand, the Milwaukee Brewers are in the midst of a five-game skid.

The Brewers look to avoid a season-high sixth straight loss as they open a two-game interleague set against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night at Miller Park.

Milwaukee (14-16) held a 22-12 scoring advantage over Pittsburgh to win the first two on the home stretch, but has been outscored 35-17 while matching a season high with five straight losses.

"We need to stop that downward momentum and turn it over," reliever John Axford told the Brewers' official website.

Advertisement

Losers in eight of 11 since winning nine in a row, the Brewers hope they bottomed out when St. Louis completed a four-game sweep at Miller Park with a 10-1 win Sunday. Twice in that series, Milwaukee gave up six runs in an inning.

"You forget about it," said Sunday's losing pitcher Marco Estrada, who was tagged for eight runs in 3 1-3 innings. "Right now, it's in my head, and I'm sure it's in a lot of guys' heads, that we just got swept in a pretty crucial series. But you try to go out and forget about it. That's the only thing you can do."

One of the few recent Milwaukee bright spots has been star Ryan Braun, who is batting .424 (14 for 33) while hitting safely in eight straight games. He has four doubles and two home runs while going 8 of 27 (.296) with five RBIs in six games versus Texas.

Teammate Wily Peralta (2-2, 6.00 ERA) takes the mound in the opener looking to bounce back after he gave up six runs and 11 hits in 4 1-3 innings of a 6-5 loss to St. Louis on Thursday.

"That's just part of the experience," Peralta said. "Those days, you have to calm down yourself, try to make one pitch at a time. Don't try to go too crazy out there."

This will be his first appearance against the Rangers (20-12), who won two of three at Milwaukee in 2010.

Texas swept Boston at home over the weekend but lost 9-2 to the Chicago Cubs in a rescheduled game Monday. The Rangers, who entered that contest with a major league-best 3.02 ERA and held the Red Sox to four runs and 18 hits, gave up five runs in the fourth inning and 11 hits overall.

Scheduled starter Justin Grimm (2-1, 2.28) has been a big reason for Texas' staff success, but the right-hander allowed a three-run homer to Tyler Flowers in the sixth inning and four walks in a 3-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Thursday.

"He really had good stuff working (Thursday),' Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "Just left one in the wrong spot to Flowers.'

The Rangers were held to five hits Monday, including two in seven innings by ex-teammate Scott Feldman.

Ian Kinsler's 11-game hitting streak was snapped after he went 0 for 4 on Monday. The Texas second baseman is 4 for 27 in his last seven interleague games.

Texas' Lance Berkman is a career .306 hitter against the Brewers, but the 37-year-old designated hitter could also rest during this brief interleague set. He did play in any of the three games at Wrigley Field.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-07-13 06:58 PM
CNOTES is offline Click Here to See the Profile for CNOTES Edit post   Report post
CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer

Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543

Diamond Trends - Tuesday

May 7, 2013


SU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Marlins are 0-10 since August 19, 2011 on the road after a loss in which they allowed 6 or fewer hits and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $1015 when playing against.


OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Rangers are 0-9 OU since June 08, 2012 as a road favorite after a loss in which they had 6 or fewer hits for a net profit of $900 when playing the under.

PITCHER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- When Tim Lincecum starts the Giants are 11-0 since April 24, 2009 after giving up no walks for a net profit of $1145.

MLB BIBLE ACTIVE TREND:

-- The Cardinals are 14-0 (+$1,485) since May 24, 2011 in night games following a win where their starter pitched at least eight innings.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Twins are 0-9 since September 17, 2008 as a road dog after an extra inning loss for a net profit of $900 when playing against.

-- When Travis Wood starts the Cubs are 0-7 since July 27, 2012 after his team scored a total of fewer than three runs in his last start for a net profit of $700 when playing agai




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-07-13 07:01 PM
CNOTES is offline Click Here to See the Profile for CNOTES Edit post   Report post
CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer

Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543

See spot. See spot bet: This week's best spot bet opportunities

Spot bets are a classic handicapping practice that have proven profitable no matter what sport you’re betting. Whether it’s a team looking past this week’s opponent, one coming off a hard-fought victory, or a rough patch of schedule, bettors can find value picking their spots.

Lookahead spot

The San Francisco Giants have a big National League showdown with the Atlanta Braves on deck this week, serving as a possible NL Championship Series preview. But before the reigning World Series winners open AT&T Park to the Braves Thursday, they welcome the Philadelphia Phillies for a three-game set starting Monday.

Philadelphia, once a contender for the NL Pennant, has limped out to a 14-18 start. The Phillies' bats have struggled to make contact, hitting .353, and the pitching staff is lugging a 4.51 collective ERA. Philadelphia marches Cliff Lee, Kyle Kendrick and Jonathan Pettibone to the mound for this series, the latter two presenting some solid betting value against a Giants squad looking ahead to Atlanta.

Letdown spot

The 2013 NFL season is five months away but spreads were recently released for all games from Week 1 to Week 16 at Cantor Gaming sportsbooks in Nevada. Football bettors searching for letdown value on the schedule can look no further than the Dallas Cowboys’ road game at Kansas City as 1.5-point favorites in Week 2.

Dallas once again opens the season versus the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football. Last year, the Cowboys started the schedule with a huge primetime road win at MetLife Stadium only to fall flat on their faces in a 27-7 loss at Seattle as 3-point favorites Week 2. Dallas is set up to repeat that fate at Arrowhead in the second week of the season and will undoubtedly be bet up from -1.5 come kickoff on September 15.

Schedule spot

Our traditional schedule spots involve teams with a clustered calendar, jumping through hoops and time zones to make their games. This week, however, the schedule spot doesn’t so much center around one team as it does one player. Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade has a homecoming planned when his team travels to Chicago for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Saturday.

Wade, a Windy City Native, has been slowed by injuries for most of the NBA season. He averaged 21.2 points during the regular season – lowest since his rookie season – and is scoring just 13.7 points over three postseason appearances. Miami’s long layoff between series has allowed him to rest up and, with LeBron James likely letting his teammate take the spotlight, bettors should expect a spirited effort from D-Wade in Chitown this weekend.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-07-13 10:49 PM
CNOTES is offline Click Here to See the Profile for CNOTES Edit post   Report post
CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer

Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543

MLB
Dunkel

Arizona at LA Dodgers
The Diamondbacks look to take advantage of a Dodgers team that is 1-6 in Josh Beckett's last 7 starts as a favorite of -110 to -150. Arizona is the pick (+115) according to Dunkel, which has the Diamondbacks favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Arizona (+115). Here are all of today's picks.

TUESDAY, MAY 7

Game 901-902: Atlanta at Cincinnati (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Medlen) 15.704; Cincinnati (Bailey) 14.773
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-120); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (+100); Over

Game 903-904: St. Louis at Chicago Cubs (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Lynn) 16.991; Cubs (Wood) 14.879
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-130); No Run Total
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-130); N/A

Game 905-906: Miami at San Diego (10:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami (Sanabia) 14.593; San Diego (Stults) 15.768
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 1; 6 1/2
Vegas Line: San Diego (-155); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (-155); Under

Game 907-908: Arizona at LA Dodgers (10:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (McCarthy) 15.958; LA Dodgers (Beckett) 14.537
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-135); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (+115); Over

Game 909-910: Philadelphia at San Francisco (10:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia (Kendrick) 15.801; San Francisco (Lincecum) 15.287
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: San Francisco (-135); 7
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (+115); Over

Game 911-912: Oakland at Cleveland (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Milone) 14.524; Cleveland (McAllister) 16.376
Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 2; 8
Vegas Line: Cleveland (-115); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-115); Under

Game 913-914: Kansas City at Baltimore (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Santana) 16.159; Baltimore (Chen) 15.037
Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Baltimore (-125); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (+105); Over

Game 915-916: Minnesota at Boston (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Diamond) 15.875; Boston (Dempster) 16.241
Dunkel Line: Boston by 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Boston (-200); 9
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-200); Under

Game 917-918: Toronto at Tampa Bay (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Happ) 15.676; Tampa Bay (Hernandez) 14.879
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-135); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+115); Over

Game 919-920: LA Angels at Houston (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (Wilson) 13.749; Houston (Lyles) 12.463
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-180); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (-180); Under

Game 921-922: Seattle at Pittsburgh (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Harang) 15.008; Pittsburgh (McDonald) 16.127
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (-150); 8
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-150); Under

Game 923-924: Detroit at Washington (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Sanchez) 17.202; Washington 16.087
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Washington (-115); 7
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-105); Over

Game 925-926: Chicago White Sox at NY Mets (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Santiago) 15.163; NY Mets (Harvey) 14.641
Dunkel Line: Chicago White Sox by 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: NY Mets (-165); 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago White Sox (+145); Over

Game 927-928: Texas at Milwaukee (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Grimm) 14.906; Milwaukee (Peralta) 14.449
Dunkel Line: Texas by 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Texas (-125); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Texas (-125); Under

Game 929-930: NY Yankees at Colorado (8:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Yankees (Kuroda) 15.583; Colorado (De La Rosa) 14.426
Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1; 10 1/2
Vegas Line: Colorado (-115); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-105); Over




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-07-13 10:50 PM
CNOTES is offline Click Here to See the Profile for CNOTES Edit post   Report post
CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer

Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543

MLB

Tuesday, May 7

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three streaking 'under' pitchers on the mound Tuesday
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tuesday's MLB schedule features a few starters that have pitched well enough to keep scorelines under the total in back-to-back starts. Here is a look at three streaking under pitchers around the majors.

Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds (1-3, 3.38 ERA)

The under is 2-0 in Bailey's previous two starts and 3-1 in his four starts heading into Tuesday. He was the hard luck loser on April 26 in a 1-0 loss versus the Washington Nationals despite having one of his better starts on the season. He pitched seven strong innings and allowed the one earned run on five hits. The Reds righty has been excellent in his last four starts posting an ERA of 2.39 in 26 1/3 innings pitched.

Bailey faces the Atlanta Braves Tuesday. He was 1-0 with a 2.13 ERA in two starts versus Atlanta in 2012. The over/under was 0-1-1 in those two games.

Kirk Medlen is scheduled to start for the Braves.

Travis Wood, Chicago Cubs (2-2, 2.50 ERA)

Wood is coming off his longest outing of the season on May 2 in a 4-2 loss to the San Diego Padres. The lefty went 7 2/3 innings and surrendered three runs on four hits en route to the loss.The Cubbies are one of the best under bets on the season at 12-19 O/U and the under is 4-2 in Wood's starts. The Cubs supply Wood with just 3.33 runs per game and he boasts one of the best WHIP totals in the Nation League at 0.91.

Wood faces the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field Tuesday. The Cards will counter with righty Lance Lynn.

Wood was 0-2 in three starts versus St. Louis in 2012. He gave up 16 earned runs in 16 innings.

Scott Diamond, Minnesota Twins (2-2, 3.97 ERA)

Diamond will make his fifth start of the season Tuesday. The Twins are 0-3-1 O/U in Diamond's starts. The Canadian is has strung together three quality starts in a row and has a very respectable 15.9 pitches per inning. He has exhibited excellent control this season with just three walks in his 22 2/3 innings pitched. His stats look a little inflated due to a rough outing to start his season. Diamond was knocked around and chased from the game against the New York Mets on April 13. He lasted just 4 1/3 innings and allowed four earned runs.

The lefty is on the hill versus the Boston Red Sox Tuesday. Fellow Canadian Ryan Dempster is scheduled to start for the Sox.

This will be Diamond's first career start versus Boston.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-07-13 10:57 PM
CNOTES is offline Click Here to See the Profile for CNOTES Edit post   Report post
CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer

Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543

MLB

Tuesday, May 7

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MLB 'overs' are the hot play to start May
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Major League Baseball betting has posted a 45-29-1 over/under record in the month of May, including a 28-9-1 over/under count in the last three days heading into Tuesday's action.

Any $100 bettor would be up $1,464.04 if they had taken the over in each game this month. The $100 bettor would be up $1,815.33 if they had taken the over in all games on May 4, May 5 and May 6.

The Tampa Bay Rays lead the way with a 5-0 over/under record in May. The Colorado Rockies have posted a 4-0 over/under record since the beginning of the month. The New York Mets also have stayed above the number, going 3-0 over/under to open May. The Houston Astros have also been a hot over play in May as well, going 4-1 over/under.

There are 15 games on tap throughout the bigs Tuesday.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-07-13 10:59 PM
CNOTES is offline Click Here to See the Profile for CNOTES Edit post   Report post
CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer

Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543

MLB
Short Sheet

Tuesday, May 7

National League

Atlanta at Cincinnati, 7:10 ET MLB
Medlen: 22-4 TSR in night games
Bailey: 16-6 Over at home with a total of 7 to 8.5 runs

St. Louis at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 ET WGN
Lynn: 17-1 TSR vs. division opponents
Wood: Cubs 20-41 SU after losing 3 of their last 4 games

Miami at San Diego, 10:10 ET
Sanabia: Miami 3-10 SU as a road underdog of +150 or higher
Stults: 10-4 TSR in night games

Arizona at LA Dodgers, 10:10 ET
McCarthy: 12-4 TSR as a road underdog of +125 or less
Beckett: 5-12 TSR vs. division opponents

Philadelphia at San Francisco, 10:15 ET
Kendrick: Philadelphia 3-9 SU after allowing 2 runs or less
Linecum: San Francisco 22-10 SU off a loss by 4+ runs


American League

Oakland at Cleveland, 7:05 ET
Milone: 21-10 TSR with a total of 7 to 8.5 runs
McAllister: Cleveland 14-29 SU after winning 4 of their last 5 games

Kansas City at Baltimore, 7:05 ET
Santana: Kansas City 9-2 Over after allowing 2 runs or less
Chen: 19-10 TSR with a total of 7 to 8.5 runs

Minnesota at Boston, 7:10 ET
Diamond: Minnesota 22-10 Under off a loss by 1 run
Dempster: 1-7 TSR as a home favorite of -175 to -200

Toronto at Tampa Bay, 7:10 ET
Happ: Toronto 0-7 SU off a win by 2 runs or less
Hernandez: Tampa Bay 11-2 Under at home with a total of 8.5 to 10 runs

LA Angels at Houston, 8:10 ET
Wilson: 35-12 TSR as a favorite of -125 to -175
Lyles: 2-17 TSR pitching off BB team losses


Intereague

Seattle at Pittsburgh, 7:05 ET
Harrang: 14-7 TSR away with a total of 7 to 8.5 runs
McDonald: 3-9 TSR as a favorite of -125 to -175

Detroit at Washington, 7:05 ET MLB
Sanchez: Detroit 9-20 SU as a road favorite of -125 or less
Zimmermann: 21-5 TSR in night games

Chicago White Sox at NY Mets, 7:10 ET
Santiago: White Sox 24-5 Under as a road underdog of +125 to +175
Harvey: Mets 5-19 SU at home off 5+ road games

Texas at Milwaukee, 8:10 ET
Grimm: Texas 54-26 SU off a loss
Peralta: Milwaukee 1-8 SU at home off a loss

NY Yankees at Colorado, 8:40 ET
Kuroda: 15-5 Under pitching on 5 or 6 days rest
De La Rosa: Colorado 9-2 SU off BB Overs
Reply With Quote




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-07-13 11:00 PM
CNOTES is offline Click Here to See the Profile for CNOTES Edit post   Report post
CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer

Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

05/06/13 8-_10-_0 44.44% -_1870 Detail
05/05/13 15-_11-_1 57.69% +_1790 Detail
05/04/13 11-_16-_1 40.74% -_2375 Detail
05/03/13 12-_16-_0 42.86% -_2225 Detail
05/02/13 6-_7-_0 46.15% -_1090 Detail
05/01/13 19-_11-_0 63.33% +_4395 Detail

Totals 71-_71-_2 50.00% -_1375




Tuesday, May 7

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Kansas City - 7:05 PM ET Baltimore -127 500
Baltimore - Over 8.5 500

Oakland - 7:05 PM ET Cleveland -109 500
Cleveland - Under 8.5 500

Detroit - 7:05 PM ET Washington +114 500 POD # 5
Washington - Over 7 500

Seattle - 7:05 PM ET Seattle +119 500 POD # 6
Pittsburgh -

Minnesota - 7:10 PM ET Minnesota +165 500 POD # 4
Boston - Over 9 500

Atlanta - 7:10 PM ET Cincinnati -126 500
Cincinnati - Under 7.5 500

Chi. White Sox - 7:10 PM ET NY Mets -171 500
NY Mets - Over 6.5 500

Toronto - 7:10 PM ET Tampa Bay -136 500
Tampa Bay - Over 8.5 500

St. Louis - 8:05 PM ET St. Louis -123 500
Chi. Cubs - Over 7.5 500

LA Angels - 8:10 PM ET LA Angels -175 500
Houston - Over 9 500

Texas - 8:10 PM ET Milwaukee -104 500
Milwaukee - Over 8.5 500

NY Yankees - 8:40 PM ET Colorado -117 500
Colorado - Over 9 500

Arizona - 10:10 PM ET Arizona +106 500 POD # 3
LA Dodgers - Over 7.5 500

Miami - 10:10 PM ET Miami +160 500 POD # 2
San Diego - Under 7.5 500

Philadelphia - 10:15 PM ET Philadelphia +130 500 POD # 1
San Francisco Under 7 500




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-07-13 11:33 PM
CNOTES is offline Click Here to See the Profile for CNOTES Edit post   Report post
CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer

Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543

Preview: Braves (19-13) at Reds (19-15)

Game: 3
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: May 08, 2013 12:35 PM EDT


The Cincinnati Reds acquired Shin-Soo Choo in the hopes that he could provide some improvement in the leadoff spot.

He's certainly doing that, and now he's also coming through in the clutch.

A day after connecting for a walkoff homer, Choo looks to continue his stellar production at home and help the Reds to another victory over the Atlanta Braves in the finale of this three-game set Wednesday.

Choo spent six-plus seasons in Cleveland, playing mostly in right field and batting third. Still, Cincinnati (19-15) felt he could solve its issues at the top of the lineup while playing center field, and acquired him in a three-team, nine-player trade in December.

The Reds got a .208 average and .254 on-base percentage out of leadoff hitters last year, and so far the addition of Choo is proving to be a very good one.

Choo is among the best leadoff hitters in baseball with a .333 average, a .465 on-base percentage and 27 runs, while leading Cincinnati with seven homers. He's been particularly impressive at home, where he's batting .413 with a .560 on-base percentage and 17 runs in helping the Reds win 13 of 18 at Great American Ball Park.

Choo is also hitting .359 with two homers and six RBIs beyond the sixth inning.

He came up big in the clutch Tuesday, when he followed Devin Mesoraco's two out pinch-hit homer in the ninth off Braves closer Craig Kimbrel with a solo shot of his own to clinch a 5-4 win.

"He's the best closer in the league," Choo said of Kimbrel, who has blown three of 13 save opportunities to match his total from all of last year.

The Reds have won nine of 11 at home against Atlanta (19-13), hitting 20 homers and averaging 4.6 runs.

Mike Leake (2-1, 4.15) is scheduled to get the ball in an effort to continue his success against the Braves.

The right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA in three career meetings, pitching eight strong innings in a 4-1 victory May 21 in the only home matchup.

Leake allowed two runs and scattered nine hits over 5 2-3 innings in a 6-5 victory at Wrigley Field on Friday.

He's 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in three home starts.

Tuesday's loss was the eighth in 11 road games for the Braves, who are batting .220 in those contests.

They're also becoming frustrated with their struggles in Cincinnati.

"Anytime we're here, the ballpark is kind of an excuse," said Kris Medlen, who allowed two runs in seven innings and was in line for the win Tuesday. "But that Mesoraco fly ball is a fly-ball out in a lot of places."

Scheduled starter Mike Minor (3-2, 3.26) has allowed four homers over his last two games after yielding one in his first 19 innings.

After allowing six runs over 6 2-3 innings in an 8-3 loss at Detroit, the left-hander struggled early in Friday's 7-5, 10-inning loss to the Mets, giving up three runs on two homers in the first two innings. However, he rebounded by retiring his last 18 batters before exiting after the seventh.

In his only start against the Reds, Minor was reached for a career-high four homers in six innings of a 4-1 road loss opposite Leake on May 21.

He'll want to be careful with Joey Votto, who is hitting .425 over the past 10 games after getting three hits in this series.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-08-13 01:33 PM
CNOTES is offline Click Here to See the Profile for CNOTES Edit post   Report post
CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer

Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543

Preview: Mariners (15-19) at Pirates (18-14)

Game: 2
Venue: PNC Park
Date: May 08, 2013 12:35 PM EDT


Felix Hernandez and A.J. Burnett each have pitched extremely well of late for the Seattle Mariners and Pittsburgh Pirates, respectively.

While Hernandez looks to win his fourth consecutive start, Burnett tries for his fourth straight victory as the teams conclude their two-game interleague series Wednesday at PNC Park.

Hernandez (4-2, 1.60 ERA) has allowed two earned runs, struck out 35 and walked two in 30 innings to go 3-0 in four starts since he yielded seven earned in 13 innings while losing the previous two.

"I've been aggressive, I've been throwing a lot of strikes and that's the key for me,' Hernandez said.

The right-hander gave up five hits and fanned seven in eight innings of a 4-0 win at Toronto on Friday.

"He's special,' Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager said. "He goes about his business. You give him a couple of runs and you know he's going to take care of the rest.'

In his only previous meeting versus Pittsburgh (19-15) in 2007, Hernandez yielded six hits and struck out nine in eight innings of a 3-0 home victory.

He's 13-7 with a 2.88 ERA in 26 interleague starts.

"He's as good as there is," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle told MLB's official website. "He's built for endurance. He's got power, spin, changes speeds, locale - the total package off the mound. A dominant pitcher."

Hernandez also has fared well the three times he's squared off with Burnett (3-2, 2.57), allowing five runs in 23 2-3 innings while going 2-0. Pitching for Toronto and the New York Yankees in those matchups, Burnett yielded nine runs in 21 innings and went 0-1.

Burnett, however, has not allowed more than three runs in any of his seven starts in 2013 and is 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA in the last four. The right-hander gave up one run and struck out nine in seven innings of a 3-1 win over Washington on Friday.

"He's approaching every single pitch he makes with total conviction,' Hurdle said.

Burnett also ranks among the major league leaders with 57 strikeouts.

"Strikeouts are always good to have and I like to put people away,' Burnett said. "There will be some nights where I won't have many strikeouts, so you take them when you can get them.'

He's fanned 55 while going 3-2 with a 3.71 ERA in eight starts versus Seattle.

Burnett has a chance to help the Pirates sweep this brief set after Jeanmar Gomez pitched five scoreless innings, Garrett Jones had a two-run homer and Andrew McCutchen added four hits with an RBI in Tuesday's 4-1 win over Seattle (15-19).

Pittsburgh has outscored its opponents 68-34 to win 12 of 15 interleague home games.

McCutchen has gone 13 for 28 (.464) with five RBIs in seven games to raise his average 60 points to .276. He's batted .463 with 13 RBIs over his last 14 interleague contests.

Seager had one of the five hits Tuesday for Seattle, which has dropped two in a row after winning seven of nine. He is batting .359 (14 for 39) in 10 career interleague road games.

Seattle outfielder and ex-Pirate Jason Bay is batting .364 (8 for 22) with two doubles and a home run versus Burnett




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-08-13 01:36 PM
CNOTES is offline Click Here to See the Profile for CNOTES Edit post   Report post
CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer

Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543

Preview: Cardinals (20-12) at Cubs (13-20)

Game: 2
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: May 08, 2013 2:20 PM EDT


Jake Westbrook owns the lowest ERA in baseball, but a visit to Wrigley Field could put that in jeopardy.

Westbrook looks to give the St. Louis Cardinals another strong effort on the mound in order to help them salvage a split of this two-game set with the archrival Chicago Cubs on Wednesday.

The Cardinals (20-12) have the best rotation in baseball with a 2.22 ERA, and Westbrook (2-1, 1.07 ERA) is a big reason for that.

The right-hander, however, is 2-1 with a 6.14 ERA while allowing the Cubs to hit .305 over three starts at Wrigley. Overall, he's 5-2 with a 4.14 ERA in eight starts and won the most recent matchup on July 21, when he yielded three hits in seven innings of a 12-0 home victory.

Westbrook enters this matchup after yielding one run in 12 innings over his last two starts, earning a 6-5 win in the latest one at Milwaukee on Thursday. That marked the sinkerballer's 100th career victory.

"One of the luxuries I have is that my ball still moves," the 13-year veteran told the team's official website. "Lot of times, whether it goes where I want it to or not, it still runs down in the zone. It still can be good, and I can have some success."

The Cubs (13-20) may be at the bottom of the NL Central, but they've won four of six at home against the Cardinals. They beat them again Tuesday, when Nate Schierholtz's two-run homer in the fourth provided the difference in a 2-1 victory.

"Any time we come in here, it's tough," manager Mike Matheny said. "This team plays us tough any time we come into Wrigley."

Chicago is trying for a third straight win at home for the first time since July 28-30, a stretch that included two wins over St. Louis.

Alfonso Soriano, who had two hits and a run Tuesday, has hit the Cardinals hard of late with a .327 average in 14 meetings. Much of that damage has come in nine home games, during which he's batting .389 (14 for 36) with seven extra-base hits.

Soriano, though, is 3 for 30 versus Westbrook, who has held the current Cubs roster to .218 at the plate.

Carlos Villanueva (1-2, 2.85) is slated to get the ball in an effort to avoid losing three straight starts for the first time in his eight-year career.

He'll try to draw some inspiration from Travis Wood's impressive performance Tuesday after he yielded one run with eight strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings to outpitch Lance Lynn.

Villanueva has lost back-to-back-outings, surrendering eight runs with 12 strikeouts in 11 2-3 innings.

"In my last two starts, I'm one pitch away from two quality outings," Villanueva said. "You know, the good part is I'm close to where I want to be. I'm just not putting that guy away when I need to."

The right-hander is 2-0 with a 4.00 ERA in his last three starts against the Cardinals, but he hasn't faced them since June 25, 2011.

He's held Yadier Molina to 3 for 18, but the Cardinals catcher is hitting .452 over his last eight games. He had two hits Tuesday, but killed a potential rally in the eighth by being picked off between second and third.

Matt Holiday has homered on two of his three hits in 10 at_bats versus Villanueva, but he's 3 for 20 over the last six games at Wrigley.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-08-13 01:38 PM
CNOTES is offline Click Here to See the Profile for CNOTES Edit post   Report post
CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer

Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543

Preview: Marlins (10-24) at Padres (15-18)

Game: 3
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: May 08, 2013 3:40 PM EDT


The San Diego Padres are the latest team to take advantage of the light-hitting Miami Marlins offense.

Jason Marquis takes the mound as San Diego seeks a fourth straight victory and a three-game sweep of visiting Miami on Wednesday afternoon.

The Padres (15-18) began the season 5-15 but have since won 10 of 13 since, outscoring the Marlins 10-1 in this series after Tuesday night's 5-1 win.

Will Venable homered, went 2 for 4 and drove in three runs after going 2 for his last 21. Chase Headley also had two hits and is batting .391 during a 12-game hitting streak for San Diego, which has won eight of nine at home.

Miami, meanwhile, has reverted to its low-scoring ways after hitting double digits for the only time this season in a 14-2 win at Philadelphia on Sunday. The Marlins (10-24), owners of the second-worst record in baseball and hitting an NL-worst .226, have scored two or fewer runs 21 times, and their 99 runs are the fewest in the majors.

No player who has appeared in more than nine games for Miami is hitting better than Placido Polanco's .256 average, which may bode well for Marquis, who has been stingy at times this season.

Aside from allowing seven runs in 4 2-3 innings of a 7-1 loss to Milwaukee on April 22, Marquis (3-2, 4.25 ERA) has been rather solid. He's allowed three earned runs or fewer in his other five starts, including giving up three in six innings of a 7-6 win over Arizona on Friday.

``Jason did his job,' manager Bud Black said. ``He hung in there, battled and made some pitches. He's a veteran pitcher with moxie who knows how to work his way through a game.'

Marquis, however, may need to have better control moving forward. He walked a season-worst five Friday and has issued at least four free passes four times. He's walked only two, though, while going 1-1 with a 2.84 in his last three starts against the Marlins.

Miami's lack of offense has been especially difficult on its pitching staff, though Ricky Nolasco (2-3, 4.14) didn't have his best stuff in his most recent outing.

Miami has lost five of Nolasco's seven starts, including Friday when he allowed four runs and a season-worst eight hits - including three solo homers - in six innings of a 4-1 defeat at Philadelphia. He's received only 15 runs of support in 41 1-3 innings and two or fewer in each of Miami's losses when Nolasco starts.

``I thought Ricky did a nice job, kept us in the game,' manager Mike Redmond said. "We've got to do a better job of putting some runs up. It's tough for our pitching when we're just scoring one run a night. We've got to find a way to put some crooked numbers on the scoreboard.'

The right-hander hasn't needed much help in his last four starts in San Diego, winning each of them while pitching at least into the seventh inning and posting a 1.82 ERA.

Some of the Padres have had success against Nolasco, though. Headley is 4 for 12 with a homer and Yonder Alonso is 3 for 5 with a homer run off the Miami hurler.




Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.

Old Post 05-08-13 01:39 PM
CNOTES is offline Click Here to See the Profile for CNOTES Edit post   Report post
Post A Reply
  
Pages (26): « 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7] 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 »   Last Message   Next Message

Quick Links: