Fausto Carmona got pummeled by the Red Sox in the 2007 ALCS, surrendering a 16.50 ERA and 3.17 WHIP in two starts. If you add those stats to his career regular-season numbers against Boston, he has a 11.25 ERA and 2.25 WHIP in six games (four starts). Opponent Jon Lester, by comparison, is 2-0 with a 4.03 ERA in four career regular-season starts versus the Indians. …
Gavin Floyd has an 8.10 ERA and 1.68 WHIP in five career games (three starts) against the Mariners, so that's another game in which the road starter -- in this case Erik Bedard -- makes for the far stronger choice. …
If Trevor Cahill couldn't handle the Rays' lineup in a home game in his last start (2 2/3 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, 2 HR), how is he to succeed at the bandbox that is Rangers Ballpark? …
Even though he has a down year by his standards, Brett Myers had a 2.00 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in four starts against the Nationals, winning two of them. …
Adam Wainwright apparently loves to face his old team, the Braves, who drafted him in the first round in 2000; he's 3-0 with a 1.12 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in six career games (three starts) against them. But with Javier Vazquez as his opponent, expect a low-scoring, pitching-rich affair. …
Another probable pitchers' duel: Mets-Marlins, the battle between Josh Johnson and Johan Santana, each of whom has a sub-two career ERA against his opponent. You know Santana is an obvious stud, but what you might not know is that Johnson is 5-0 with a 1.59 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in six career starts against the Mets. Incidentally, the Mets' four most prominent hitters -- Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes and David Wright -- are a combined 8-for-58 (.138 average) with one extra-base hit (a Delgado double) and 14 strikeouts in their careers versus Johnson. …
Between this and last season, Edinson Volquez is a perfect 3-0 with a 1.37 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in three career starts against the Astros. …
After back-to-back mediocre starts to begin his season, Tim Lincecum followed them up with a combined 25 strikeouts, 0.56 ERA and .179 opponents' batting average in 16 starts in turns Nos. 3 and 4. Nope, no longer any reason to worry about him.
Gavin Floyd has an 8.10 ERA and 1.68 WHIP in five career games (three starts) against the Mariners, so that's another game in which the road starter -- in this case Erik Bedard -- makes for the far stronger choice. …
If Trevor Cahill couldn't handle the Rays' lineup in a home game in his last start (2 2/3 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, 2 HR), how is he to succeed at the bandbox that is Rangers Ballpark? …
Even though he has a down year by his standards, Brett Myers had a 2.00 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in four starts against the Nationals, winning two of them. …
Adam Wainwright apparently loves to face his old team, the Braves, who drafted him in the first round in 2000; he's 3-0 with a 1.12 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in six career games (three starts) against them. But with Javier Vazquez as his opponent, expect a low-scoring, pitching-rich affair. …
Another probable pitchers' duel: Mets-Marlins, the battle between Josh Johnson and Johan Santana, each of whom has a sub-two career ERA against his opponent. You know Santana is an obvious stud, but what you might not know is that Johnson is 5-0 with a 1.59 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in six career starts against the Mets. Incidentally, the Mets' four most prominent hitters -- Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, Jose Reyes and David Wright -- are a combined 8-for-58 (.138 average) with one extra-base hit (a Delgado double) and 14 strikeouts in their careers versus Johnson. …
Between this and last season, Edinson Volquez is a perfect 3-0 with a 1.37 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in three career starts against the Astros. …
After back-to-back mediocre starts to begin his season, Tim Lincecum followed them up with a combined 25 strikeouts, 0.56 ERA and .179 opponents' batting average in 16 starts in turns Nos. 3 and 4. Nope, no longer any reason to worry about him.
