Since Wednesday:
YTD: YTD: 11-4 +8.05
MLB Sat, Jul 23, 2005
MLB Hot Lines: Saturday`s best bets
Ryan Stetson
Detroit (-105) to beat Minnesota
Justin Verlander makes his second career start in the second half of today’s double dip. Haven’t heard of him? Let’s just say you can hear his fastball pop the catcher’s mitt from the parking lot. The 22-year-old righty throws in the upper-90s consistently and often cracks the century mark on the gun. He’s struck out a ton of batters at every level he’s pitched at, but the 6-foot-4, 200-pounder still struggles with his command at times.
He was smacked around a bit early in his only other big league start, allowing seven hits and four earned runs to Cleveland over 5 1/3 innings. The Tigers went on to lose 6-0 as +118 underdogs. But after allowing three runs in the first inning of that game, he settled down nicely.
Today, Verlander will share the mound with another highly-touted prospect, Scott Baker. With suspensions and injuries stealing all the headlines coming out of Detroit’s locker room, Verlander has to think this is a big shot for him in front of the home crowd.
Toronto (-105) to beat Kansas City
Welcome back, David Bush. The young right-hander starts today in his first big league outing since the Jays sent him down near the end of May to work on his mechanics.
"When I left here, there were some things I needed to work on," Bush told reporters. "I also had a chance to pitch regularly and get my innings in. By going down, I was able to get comfortable and get in a good routine."
Toronto hopes that will help him get back in the groove that had him go 5-4 with a 3.69 ERA in 16 starts with the big club last year. He wasn’t even all that bad before the Jays sent him down earlier this year. Despite his 0-5 record and 4.89 ERA over 10 early-season starts, he allowed more than four runs just once.
He seems like a smart kid, so he probably knows that this is a huge start for him. If he can make the most of this shot he could stick with the big club, or increase his trade value for would-be suitors if the Jays do go out and land a big-name starter.
Atlanta (-120) to beat Arizona
The Braves have won 62 percent of their games following a loss this year and they just dropped a tough decision to the D-Backs in extras last night at -160. Atlanta has a great opportunity to make some headway in the NL East now that the Nats are sliding so I’m thinking they might be a decent play here.
Jorge Sosa takes the ball today to get them back on the right track. All he’s done since coming out of the pen is pitch the club to six wins in seven tries while lowering his ERA to 2.76. He still has some trouble with his control from time to time, but has the stuff to get out of jams when he needs to.
San Francisco (+140) to beat Florida
As far as I’m concerned, it’s pretty hard to take the Fish at anything higher than –120 or so these days, no matter who’s on the hill or who’s in the other dugout. Just too many issues. So when you’re staring down the mercurial Josh Beckett at about –145 in his first start since his latest trip to the DL, you have to be pretty brave to eat that chalk.
"I feel good," Beckett told reporters. "Everything is beautiful. [The oblique] feels fine, the blister feels fine."
That’s nice, Josh, but don’t mind me if I wait a few starts before backing you at prices like this. Plus, Brad Hennessey, San Fran’s man on the mound today, is taking care of business. Rumor has it that the Giants are using Hennessey as trade bait and so far, he’s playing his part. The 25-year-old allowed just one total run in his last two starts, both of which ended up as underdog wins.
YTD: YTD: 11-4 +8.05
MLB Sat, Jul 23, 2005
MLB Hot Lines: Saturday`s best bets
Ryan Stetson
Detroit (-105) to beat Minnesota
Justin Verlander makes his second career start in the second half of today’s double dip. Haven’t heard of him? Let’s just say you can hear his fastball pop the catcher’s mitt from the parking lot. The 22-year-old righty throws in the upper-90s consistently and often cracks the century mark on the gun. He’s struck out a ton of batters at every level he’s pitched at, but the 6-foot-4, 200-pounder still struggles with his command at times.
He was smacked around a bit early in his only other big league start, allowing seven hits and four earned runs to Cleveland over 5 1/3 innings. The Tigers went on to lose 6-0 as +118 underdogs. But after allowing three runs in the first inning of that game, he settled down nicely.
Today, Verlander will share the mound with another highly-touted prospect, Scott Baker. With suspensions and injuries stealing all the headlines coming out of Detroit’s locker room, Verlander has to think this is a big shot for him in front of the home crowd.
Toronto (-105) to beat Kansas City
Welcome back, David Bush. The young right-hander starts today in his first big league outing since the Jays sent him down near the end of May to work on his mechanics.
"When I left here, there were some things I needed to work on," Bush told reporters. "I also had a chance to pitch regularly and get my innings in. By going down, I was able to get comfortable and get in a good routine."
Toronto hopes that will help him get back in the groove that had him go 5-4 with a 3.69 ERA in 16 starts with the big club last year. He wasn’t even all that bad before the Jays sent him down earlier this year. Despite his 0-5 record and 4.89 ERA over 10 early-season starts, he allowed more than four runs just once.
He seems like a smart kid, so he probably knows that this is a huge start for him. If he can make the most of this shot he could stick with the big club, or increase his trade value for would-be suitors if the Jays do go out and land a big-name starter.
Atlanta (-120) to beat Arizona
The Braves have won 62 percent of their games following a loss this year and they just dropped a tough decision to the D-Backs in extras last night at -160. Atlanta has a great opportunity to make some headway in the NL East now that the Nats are sliding so I’m thinking they might be a decent play here.
Jorge Sosa takes the ball today to get them back on the right track. All he’s done since coming out of the pen is pitch the club to six wins in seven tries while lowering his ERA to 2.76. He still has some trouble with his control from time to time, but has the stuff to get out of jams when he needs to.
San Francisco (+140) to beat Florida
As far as I’m concerned, it’s pretty hard to take the Fish at anything higher than –120 or so these days, no matter who’s on the hill or who’s in the other dugout. Just too many issues. So when you’re staring down the mercurial Josh Beckett at about –145 in his first start since his latest trip to the DL, you have to be pretty brave to eat that chalk.
"I feel good," Beckett told reporters. "Everything is beautiful. [The oblique] feels fine, the blister feels fine."
That’s nice, Josh, but don’t mind me if I wait a few starts before backing you at prices like this. Plus, Brad Hennessey, San Fran’s man on the mound today, is taking care of business. Rumor has it that the Giants are using Hennessey as trade bait and so far, he’s playing his part. The 25-year-old allowed just one total run in his last two starts, both of which ended up as underdog wins.
