SCOTT SPREITZER'S MLB MISMATCH GOW! *12-0 GOM run!
Game: Toronto Blue Jays at Tampa Bay Devil Rays Jul 30 2007 7:10PM
Prediction: Toronto Blue Jays
Reason: Tampa Bay's Andy Sonnanstine is 0-3 with an opponent batting average of .308 at home and in his last four games overall he's allowed 16 earned runs and 30 hits in 26 innings pitched. Meanwhile, Dustin McGowan has shown flashes of brillance with the Blue Jays this season, including a near no-hitter and he's coming off two quality starts where he's given up only two earned runs in 14 innings. The Devil Rays have returned to their usual ways losing 25 of their last 31 games. Take the Blue Jays to get the win on Monday, my Mismatch GOW. Thanks! GL! Scott.
Ben Burns' ESPN Game of the Month (8-1 L9 MLB!)
Game: Philadelphia Phillies at Chicago Cubs Jul 30 2007 7:05PM
Prediction: Philadelphia Phillies
Reason: I'm playing on PHILADELPHIA. The Phillies struggled against southpaws earlier in this season. However, as the saying goes, that was then and this is now. Indeed, the Phillies are 5-1 their last six games against left-handed starters, averaging an incredible 10 runs (10, 15, 12, 7, 6 and 10) over those six games. Looking back a little further and we find that Philadelphia has scored a minimum of six runs in ALL nine of its last nine games against left-handed starters. That kind of run support (or anything even close) should be more than enough for Philadelphia's young ace Cole Hamels, who sits at 11-5. Hamels would have won his 12th game last time out but the bullpen blew a 4-2 lead in the 9th inning. He was also a hard-luck loser in his previous start, allowing only two hits and one run but losing 1-0 vs. fellow Cy Young candidate Young of San Diego. Like Hamels, Lilly is having an excellent season and he's admittedly been great lately. However, he's been a mediocre pitcher his entire career and in my opinion his "stuff" isn't quite as nasty as Hamels'. Well one could make a case for either starter, there's no denying the fact that Lilly will be supported by a Cubs team which has gone 1-4 its last five games against left-handed starters, averaging only two runs in the four losses. Looking back a bit further and we find the Cubs at a poor 7-13 their last 20 games against southpaws. The Phillies, who are 8-1 their last nine games, have won four of the last five meetings in this series and nine of the last 12. Catching their hosts playing the first game back home off a 6-game road trip, I expect the Phillies to continue that dominance by grabbing tonight's series opener.
ESPN Game of the Month
PHILLIES
Ben Burns' "BLUE CHIP" Total (11-2 L13 Totals!)
Game: Los Angeles Angels at Seattle Mariners Jul 30 2007 10:05PM
Prediction: under
Reason: I'm playing on the Angels and Mariners to finish UNDER the total. Both teams reached double-digits yesterday but I'm expecting the bats to cool off in a big way tonight. Batista's 4.48 ERA may not sound very impressive. It isn't. However, when one considers that it was once 15.48 earlier in the season, we realize that he's been pitching well lately. In fact, over his last nine outings (8 starts) he has allowed 17 earned runs through 51 innings for a highly respectable 3.00 ERA. Despite his last start finishing above the number, the UNDER remains a profitable 11-6 the last 17 times that Batista took the mound. He'll face Kelvim Escobar who has allowed a mere five runs over his last four starts, pitching a minimum of seven complete innings each time out. Considering that Escobar has a miniscule 1.52 ERA during that stretch, it's no surprise that the UNDER was a perfect 4-0 in those games. Looking back a bit further and we find that 12 of Escobar's last 16 starts have finished beneath the number. Escobar has also seen the UNDER go 3-1 the last four times that he faced the Mariners and 4-1 the last five times he pitched at Seattle. Look for a well pitched affair that stays beneath the number with the UNDER improving to 4-1 the last five times that the Angels played on the road.
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Big Al's MLB Divisional Total of the Year
Game: Los Angeles Angels at Seattle Mariners Jul 30 2007 10:05PM
Prediction: under
Reason: At 10:05 pm, our AL West Total of the Year is on the 'under' in the Seattle/Anaheim game. Miguel Batista will take the mound for Seattle, and he's gone 'under' the total in 11 of his last 17 starts. Batista's mound opponent will be Kelvim Escobar, who has gone 'under' in 12 of his last 16 games (including all 4 of his July starts), and 33 of 48 since last year. Escobar's in terrific form, as he's given up just 5 earned runs and put on only 36 baserunners in July (29 2/3 innings) for a 1.51 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. Look for a low-scoring game at Safeco tonight.
Larry Ness' 15* Pitching Showdown of the Week (now 81-26 with 15* GOW plays TY!)
My 15* play is on the Chi Cubs at 7:05 ET. The Phillies have won eight of nine (averaging 7.6 RPG) to close within 3 1/2 games of the Mets in the NL East, while the Cubs' steady climb (a ML-best 33-17 since June 3) has got them within a half-game of the Brewers in the NL Central. Tonigh's pitching showdown features one of the NL's best young left-handers, Philadelphia's Cole Hamels (11-5, 3.63 ERA) against Chicago's veteran lefty Ted Lilly, who is havinga career-season (11-4, 3.46 ERA). Who gets the edge? The Cubs and Lilly do. Lilly has been near-perfect since getting ejected against the Braves back on June 10 (after getting just two outs!). He's 7-0 with a 1.83 ERA in eight starts since that incident, with the Cubs going 7-1 in the eight contests. While Philly has done better lately vs left-handers, the Phils are just 15-19 against lefties on the season. Meanwhile, Hamels is returning to the site of the worst start of his brief big league career. He surrendered a career-high nine runs (five earned) and nine hits, including two homers, in just two innings of an 11-2 defeat at Wrigley on Aug. 24 of last season. The Cubs' 27-24 home mark is deceiving, as the Cubbies are 12-4 their last 16 at Wrigley.
Pitching Showdown of the Week
15* Chicago Cubs
Game: Toronto Blue Jays at Tampa Bay Devil Rays Jul 30 2007 7:10PM
Prediction: Toronto Blue Jays
Reason: Tampa Bay's Andy Sonnanstine is 0-3 with an opponent batting average of .308 at home and in his last four games overall he's allowed 16 earned runs and 30 hits in 26 innings pitched. Meanwhile, Dustin McGowan has shown flashes of brillance with the Blue Jays this season, including a near no-hitter and he's coming off two quality starts where he's given up only two earned runs in 14 innings. The Devil Rays have returned to their usual ways losing 25 of their last 31 games. Take the Blue Jays to get the win on Monday, my Mismatch GOW. Thanks! GL! Scott.
Ben Burns' ESPN Game of the Month (8-1 L9 MLB!)
Game: Philadelphia Phillies at Chicago Cubs Jul 30 2007 7:05PM
Prediction: Philadelphia Phillies
Reason: I'm playing on PHILADELPHIA. The Phillies struggled against southpaws earlier in this season. However, as the saying goes, that was then and this is now. Indeed, the Phillies are 5-1 their last six games against left-handed starters, averaging an incredible 10 runs (10, 15, 12, 7, 6 and 10) over those six games. Looking back a little further and we find that Philadelphia has scored a minimum of six runs in ALL nine of its last nine games against left-handed starters. That kind of run support (or anything even close) should be more than enough for Philadelphia's young ace Cole Hamels, who sits at 11-5. Hamels would have won his 12th game last time out but the bullpen blew a 4-2 lead in the 9th inning. He was also a hard-luck loser in his previous start, allowing only two hits and one run but losing 1-0 vs. fellow Cy Young candidate Young of San Diego. Like Hamels, Lilly is having an excellent season and he's admittedly been great lately. However, he's been a mediocre pitcher his entire career and in my opinion his "stuff" isn't quite as nasty as Hamels'. Well one could make a case for either starter, there's no denying the fact that Lilly will be supported by a Cubs team which has gone 1-4 its last five games against left-handed starters, averaging only two runs in the four losses. Looking back a bit further and we find the Cubs at a poor 7-13 their last 20 games against southpaws. The Phillies, who are 8-1 their last nine games, have won four of the last five meetings in this series and nine of the last 12. Catching their hosts playing the first game back home off a 6-game road trip, I expect the Phillies to continue that dominance by grabbing tonight's series opener.
ESPN Game of the Month
PHILLIES
Ben Burns' "BLUE CHIP" Total (11-2 L13 Totals!)
Game: Los Angeles Angels at Seattle Mariners Jul 30 2007 10:05PM
Prediction: under
Reason: I'm playing on the Angels and Mariners to finish UNDER the total. Both teams reached double-digits yesterday but I'm expecting the bats to cool off in a big way tonight. Batista's 4.48 ERA may not sound very impressive. It isn't. However, when one considers that it was once 15.48 earlier in the season, we realize that he's been pitching well lately. In fact, over his last nine outings (8 starts) he has allowed 17 earned runs through 51 innings for a highly respectable 3.00 ERA. Despite his last start finishing above the number, the UNDER remains a profitable 11-6 the last 17 times that Batista took the mound. He'll face Kelvim Escobar who has allowed a mere five runs over his last four starts, pitching a minimum of seven complete innings each time out. Considering that Escobar has a miniscule 1.52 ERA during that stretch, it's no surprise that the UNDER was a perfect 4-0 in those games. Looking back a bit further and we find that 12 of Escobar's last 16 starts have finished beneath the number. Escobar has also seen the UNDER go 3-1 the last four times that he faced the Mariners and 4-1 the last five times he pitched at Seattle. Look for a well pitched affair that stays beneath the number with the UNDER improving to 4-1 the last five times that the Angels played on the road.
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Big Al's MLB Divisional Total of the Year
Game: Los Angeles Angels at Seattle Mariners Jul 30 2007 10:05PM
Prediction: under
Reason: At 10:05 pm, our AL West Total of the Year is on the 'under' in the Seattle/Anaheim game. Miguel Batista will take the mound for Seattle, and he's gone 'under' the total in 11 of his last 17 starts. Batista's mound opponent will be Kelvim Escobar, who has gone 'under' in 12 of his last 16 games (including all 4 of his July starts), and 33 of 48 since last year. Escobar's in terrific form, as he's given up just 5 earned runs and put on only 36 baserunners in July (29 2/3 innings) for a 1.51 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. Look for a low-scoring game at Safeco tonight.
Larry Ness' 15* Pitching Showdown of the Week (now 81-26 with 15* GOW plays TY!)
My 15* play is on the Chi Cubs at 7:05 ET. The Phillies have won eight of nine (averaging 7.6 RPG) to close within 3 1/2 games of the Mets in the NL East, while the Cubs' steady climb (a ML-best 33-17 since June 3) has got them within a half-game of the Brewers in the NL Central. Tonigh's pitching showdown features one of the NL's best young left-handers, Philadelphia's Cole Hamels (11-5, 3.63 ERA) against Chicago's veteran lefty Ted Lilly, who is havinga career-season (11-4, 3.46 ERA). Who gets the edge? The Cubs and Lilly do. Lilly has been near-perfect since getting ejected against the Braves back on June 10 (after getting just two outs!). He's 7-0 with a 1.83 ERA in eight starts since that incident, with the Cubs going 7-1 in the eight contests. While Philly has done better lately vs left-handers, the Phils are just 15-19 against lefties on the season. Meanwhile, Hamels is returning to the site of the worst start of his brief big league career. He surrendered a career-high nine runs (five earned) and nine hits, including two homers, in just two innings of an 11-2 defeat at Wrigley on Aug. 24 of last season. The Cubs' 27-24 home mark is deceiving, as the Cubbies are 12-4 their last 16 at Wrigley.
Pitching Showdown of the Week
15* Chicago Cubs
