Monday Early Games

YTD 84-104 +15.23

Today:
Atlanta -154

Going against my usual dog fare today with Atlanta to start - I'm also looking at the white sox.

Without Bonds in the lineup it will come down to SF pitching to keep the team in this game. Lowry has not lost yet this season but has given up an average of 4 runs over his last 4 outings- having been the beneficiary of an average of 6.5 runs per game in run support over that period (bonds appeared in all 4 of those [starting in 3 of them]). Lowry is curious to me because two games ago he had a 10 strikeout outing, and 5 games ago he went the distance with 9ks (a game in which his team won 11-0). After a rocky start he seems to have settled down -

but the other side of the coin is Thomson for Atlanta who has really only had one bad outing in his last 9 games - when he got taken for 4 runs vs St Louis 2 games ago. The Braves have won only 5 of his last 10 but he has been responsible for only 2 losses over that period.

I don't like the chalk but with Bonds out I am willing to lay this amount on Atlanta with the stength of pitching, homefield, and a chance to win the series.



The white sox are a different story - i think the chalk would normally be higher here with them at home and Buehrle on the mound but Buehrle has not lived up to his side of the bargain over his last 2 outings - and he got rocked by the phillies for 6 runs in 7 innings when he faced them earlier this year (yet somehow still earned a win...). The catch is that myers hasnt been too great either - despite a decent outing his last time out he allowed 6 runs in his two starts previous to that.

I'll wait a little while before I jump the gun on this one because I want to get a look at the lineups for the sox/phils first.

GL

Good thing I waited - if Lee is still out then I'm not touching this one...

Lee factored into 3 runs in the last 2 meetings between these two teams (where the two teams put up a combined 48 runs in TWO GAMES)

They may need every run they can get if Thome and Abreu decide to hit a few homers each again.

Still I think the pitching matchup favors the sox - I'll wait it out to see how Lee is doing. He pulled his groin on Thursday so he may be ready for some work. We'll see

Pitching against Philadelphia's hitters rings bell for Buehrle
August 30, 2004

CLEVELAND -- White Sox starter Mark Buehrle remembers the last time he faced the Philadelphia Phillies, and quite frankly, he wishes the memory wasn't so vivid.

With scores of 14-11 and 13-10, there weren't too many pitchers who escaped without taking a blow to the ERA. He actually earned a victory against the Phillies on June 8, but he gave up six runs on nine hits in seven innings.

Buehrle seemed semi-serious this weekend when he tried to give today's start to Jose Contreras, figuring the newest Sox pitcher wouldn't know what he was getting into against the Phillies.

''I said earlier that none of us want to pitch against them because the last few times we played them they scored a [expletive] load of runs, so I just have to go out there, keep the ball down, make my pitches and get the guys out,'' he said.

Today's game will decide if the American League wins the interleague series or if it finishes tied. The AL is up 126-125.

''Well, if it was a big deal or they made something worth it, it might be a big deal,'' Buehrle said. ''But I don't think anybody really cares.''

Manager Ozzie Guillen said the Sox would have been better off with a day off, which would have been their last at home this season. The Sox have only one more day off the rest of the way, Sept. 12 between road series at Anaheim and Minnesota.

''We've tried to play little games with the bullpen,'' Guillen said. ''They've really worked their tails off the last two weeks. But that's what's going to happen with rain, and we have to make up the game.''

The Phils are in the middle of an eight-game homestand, with the Sox game thrown in the middle.


STATUS UNKNOWN: Guillen hopes Carlos Lee will be ready to return from his strained right groin today, but he makes no promises.

''I don't know,'' Guillen said. ''He hit, but he hasn't run yet. I need to see him run. It's up to him to see how he feels, but I doubt he'll be back [today].''


FREDDY READY: Freddy Garcia's strained right forearm isn't expected to keep him from another start. He is in line to return to the rotation Wednesday against the Seattle Mariners.

''Freddy's fine,'' Guillen said. ''I talked to him, I talked to [trainer Herm Schneider] and Freddy's in the right direction.''


EMPTY VICTORY: The Sox finished the season series against the Indians with a 10-9 record but were shut out for the eighth time this season.


STREAKS STOPPED: After Aaron Rowand's 11-game hit streak was snapped Saturday, Juan Uribe's nine-game hit streak was stopped Sunday. Uribe entered 14-for-35 (.400) during his streak. Ross Gload had hit safely in his last nine starts going 15-for-35 (.429) but went hitless against Scott Elarton.

SLIDE CONTINUES: Since winning four consecutive games July 21-24 to move a season-high 10 games over .500 at 52-42, the Sox have gone 11-23.

AB R H RBI BB K LOB Season Avg
R. Durham 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .251
M. Tucker cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .264
J.T. Snow 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .325
E. Alfonzo 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .283
A.J. Pierzynski c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .294
D. Cruz ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .304
R. Ledee rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .241
D. Mohr lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .282
N. Lowry p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200
Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Atlanta
AB R H RBI BB K LOB Season Avg
R. Furcal ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .295
N. Green 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .282
J.D. Drew rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .303
J. Franco 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .300
E. Marrero lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .339
A. Jones cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .263
M. DeRosa 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .248
E. Perez c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .220
J. Thomson p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200


chipper giles and estrada out

not worth a hedge IMO - it still comes down to pitching and the braves have the edge still from what I can see

tucker snow and cruz have had some success vs tompson but my bet is against lowrys 7.16 ERA in his last 3

lets get ready to rumble!

Jaypaw, the rumble is on! Thepig has a GIANTS ticket secured safely away in his pocket so I must rescind the earlier Gl that I gave you. (I am however keeping the one you gave to me). You are entitled to thepigs best wishes on anything else you do, but not the BRAVES. You put more work into it than I did and that is likely to serve you well. thepig is just banking on good luck! Thepigs wallet may regret this. Godspeed, thepig.

I see a lot here are on the dog

maybe I'll be eating chalk - dammit

Got the Chisox lineups - lee still out

not worth the chalk considering



Philadelphia
AB R H RBI BB K LOB Season Avg
J. Rollins ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .284
J. Michaels lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .253
B. Abreu rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .292
J. Thome dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .281
D. Bell 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .286
P. Polanco 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .279
M. Lieberthal c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .256
M. Byrd cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .231
T. Perez 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .226
Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Chi White Sox
AB R H RBI BB K LOB Season Avg
A. Rowand cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .318
T. Perez lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .243
R. Gload 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .288
C. Everett dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .257
J. Valentin ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .222
J. Uribe 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .268
J. Borchard rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .160
J. Burke c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .348
J. Crede 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .232

Thomson gets through the first 6 without a hitch - 4 fly balls and 2 groundouts

unfortunately lowry is doing much of the same 2 ground outs 2 fly balls and one k

marrerro on base due to Cruz ERROR

great news

We in michigan used to call Cruz "fat Devie Cruz". He was to fat to be a good shortstop, his range was where he was and 1 step to his right. This assumes it wasn't raining, in which case his range was where he was. He was always a decent hitter though, which around here is few and far between. Godspeed, thepig.

Forgot to mention that Cruz spent a number of years with the TIGERS. Godspeed, thepig.

White Sox lineup looks Brutal today!

Who was able to grab Philly when it was +124?

I thought of that - if I had caught the phills early it would have been worth the bet but who knew...

How does Tucker get thrown out at home in the top 7th. Is he loafing or what? Two outs, he should have been running his ass off all the way.
Godspeed, thepig.

damn giants are up 6-4 now

it could have been worse if they hadnt gotten the out at homeplate to end the top of the 7th - however the damage may be done - and is certainly done for the under crowd...


bummer

who knew!

Bummer, not! Thepig knew. Godspeed, thepig.

yeah I dont know how that happend with two outs - maybe they just said go for it cause they were up 2 runs

at any rate they are now only up 1 run - chipper is in the game and if things go well he may get a chance to bat again in the bottom of the 9th...

but not likely - howver Giles is now pinch hitting

this keeps getting more suspenseful... are they gonna need to pinch hit bonds or WHAT

Anyone wathcing Myers and Burhle get bombed today? Its entertaining. Myers does not belong in the Majors.

ugh

giles and chipper just needed a warm up - now with only 1 guy on base per inning at least andrew jones will bat again

and with 3 total then chipper will get up

probably wishful thinking but as a home team I gotta believe they could still be in this one

AND ESTRADA comes to the plate..

wow