Starting pitcher rankings for Wednesday, July 22

Starting pitcher rankings for Wednesday, July 22

<table style="margin: 0pt; width: 100%;"> <thead><tr><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Rk</center></th><th style="vertical-align: bottom; width: 30px;"><center>Team</center></th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;">Name</th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"><center>T</center></th><th style="vertical-align: bottom; width: 35px;"><center>W-L</center></th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"><center>ERA</center></th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"><center>WHIP</center></th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"><center>K/9</center></th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"><center>OPSA</center></th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"><center>Opp</center></th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"><center>OPS</center></th><th style="vertical-align: bottom;"><center>CT%</center></th></tr></thead><tbody> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Tim Lincecum</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">10-2</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">2.27</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.04</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">10.63</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.564</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">@ATL</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.740</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">82.3%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">2</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Chris Carpenter</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">8-3</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">2.26</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">0.88</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">6.97</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.551</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">@HOU</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.732</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">83.0%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">3</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Ricky Nolasco</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">6-7</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">5.77</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.40</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">8.84</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.814</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">@SD</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.677</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">78.3%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">4</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">John Danks</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">L</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">8-6</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">3.98</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.29</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">7.79</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.695</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">TB</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.806</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">77.3%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">5</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Felix Hernandez</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">10-3</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">2.51</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.12</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">8.75</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.595</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">@DET</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.748</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">79.8%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">6</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Joe Saunders</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">L</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">8-6</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">4.72</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.40</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">5.02</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.792</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">@KC</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.710</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">80.0%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">7</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Chad Billingsley</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">9-5</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">3.76</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.28</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">8.43</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.684</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">CIN</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.710</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">80.4%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">8</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Ubaldo Jimenez</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">7-9</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">3.82</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.30</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">8.14</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.650</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">ARI</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.728</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">77.2%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">9</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">A.J. Burnett</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">8-4</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">3.81</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.40</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">8.10</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.745</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">BAL</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.750</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">82.8%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">10</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Ricky Romero</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">L</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">7-4</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">3.25</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.31</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">7.59</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.758</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">CLE</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.758</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">77.7%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">11</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Roy Oswalt</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">6-4</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">3.65</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.18</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">7.01</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.708</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">STL</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.734</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">81.3%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">12</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Mike Pelfrey</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">7-5</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">5.07</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.51</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">4.72</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.754</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">@WAS</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.745</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">77.8%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">13</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Jair Jurrjens</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">8-7</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">2.77</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.24</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">5.91</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.673</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">SF</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.694</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">78.1%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">14</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">James Shields</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">6-6</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">3.75</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.30</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">6.23</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.764</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">@CHW</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.761</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">81.2%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">15</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Carlos Zambrano</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">6-4</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">3.36</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.32</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">7.40</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.678</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">@PHI</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.796</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">79.5%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">16</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Jeff Suppan</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">5-7</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">4.43</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.62</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">4.68</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.850</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">@PIT</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.719</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">79.5%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">17</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Jamie Moyer</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">L</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">9-6</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">5.58</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.41</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">5.05</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.854</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">CHC</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.726</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">78.4%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">18</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Armando Galarraga</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">5-8</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">5.09</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.55</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">5.91</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.863</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">SEA</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.721</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">82.0%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">19</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Paul Maholm</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">L</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">6-4</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">4.28</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.40</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">5.58</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.717</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">MIL</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.761</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">76.8%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">20</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Glen Perkins</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">L</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">5-5</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">4.75</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.34</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">4.32</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.738</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">@OAK</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.698</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">81.8%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">21</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Craig Stammen</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">2-5</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">4.46</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.22</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">3.92</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.712</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">NYM</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.725</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">83.6%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">22</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Brian Bannister</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">6-7</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">3.66</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.31</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">5.66</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.669</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">LAA</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.784</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">81.8%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">23</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Bronson Arroyo</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">10-8</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">5.07</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.46</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">4.92</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.823</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">@LAD</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.763</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">81.0%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">24</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Jon Garland</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">5-9</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">4.45</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.49</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">3.90</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.784</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">@COL</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.780</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">77.3%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">25</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Josh Geer</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1-5</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">6.02</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.37</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">4.76</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.886</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">FLA</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.720</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">77.2%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">26</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Carl Pavano</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">8-7</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">5.13</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.37</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">6.48</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.781</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">@TOR</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.765</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">83.4%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">27</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Trevor Cahill</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">5-8</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">4.72</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.47</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">4.11</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.842</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">MIN</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.770</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">80.5%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">28</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Vicente Padilla</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">7-5</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">4.67</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.52</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">4.86</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.762</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">BOS</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.790</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">79.2%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">29</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Tim Wakefield</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">11-3</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">4.31</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.38</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">5.05</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.730</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">@TEX</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.770</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">76.7%</td></tr> <tr class="last"><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">30</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center"> </td><td style="vertical-align: middle;">Jason Berken</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">R</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1-7</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">6.44</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">1.65</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">5.19</td><td style="vertical-align: middle;" align="center">.848</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">@NYY</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">.826</td><td style="vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(248, 248, 242);" align="center">82.6%</td></tr> </tbody></table>Rk.: The author's ranking of that pitcher for that day only. T: Pitcher throws left-handed or right-handed. W-L: Pitcher's win-loss record. ERA: Pitcher's earned run average. WHIP: Pitcher's average number of walks plus hits surrendered per inning. K/9: Pitcher's average number of strikeouts per nine innings. OPSA: Pitcher's on-base plus slugging percentage surrendered to opponents. OPS: Pitcher's opponent's composite team on-base plus slugging percentage. CT%: Pitcher's opponent's success rate putting the ball in play (versus striking out).

Selected notes: Not that you need us to tell you to start Tim Lincecum, but the numbers are interesting at least. He's a perfect 5-0 with a 2.08 ERA in his five career starts versus the Braves. … Ricky Nolasco seems to have finally cooled off in his past two starts, but a trip to Petco Park should get him right back in a hot streak. Even counting his past two turns, he's 4-2 with a 3.06 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 58 K's in 53 innings in his past eight starts, so expect another dominant performance. … John Danks has never had any trouble with the Rays, with four consecutive quality starts against them between this and last season, during which he's 3-1 with a 1.78 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 28 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings. Such mastery against that talented an opponent can't be ignored in fantasy. … Joe Saunders hasn't pitched at Kauffman Stadium since Sept. 19, 2006 (a decision he won), but he faced the Royals on May 9 and shut them out on five hits. Expect more of the same. … The Diamondbacks remain a strikeout-prone offense and have whiffed 46 times in Ubaldo Jimenez's 39 1/3 innings in his six career starts against them. The right-hander has a 2.75 ERA in those outings, so have no fear of the Coors Field assignment. … Although most believe the new Yankee Stadium has worked very much against A.J. Burnett thus far, the stats don't support that; he's in a streak of four straight quality starts there and has a 3.81 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in nine turns at home overall. Yes, he could be pitching better at home than he has, but consider that since becoming a member of the American League East in 2007, Burnett has defeated the Orioles in seven of nine starts and registered 58 strikeouts in 55 2/3 innings. Sure, his ERA in those is 5.01, but it still supports this being a decent enough matchup for him. … Besides having Danks as his opponent, James Shields is six games under .500 (14-20) with an ERA more than a run and a half higher on the road (4.78) than at home (3.20) for his career. AL-only owners can feel free to keep him active, but those in mixed leagues might want to tread carefully, especially if your league has an innings/starts cap. … Jeff Suppan isn't much of a fantasy consideration most of the time, but because NL-only owners need to be picky and dig deeper for spot starts, keep in mind that he has won three consecutive starts and six consecutive decisions against the Pirates. He's also 12-2 with a 4.57 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in 17 starts versus Pittsburgh since his migration to the National League Central in 2004. … Jamie Moyer has won five consecutive starts, and although he'll have a tough time beating the Cubs' Carlos Zambrano head-to-head, the hot streak is difficult to ignore in NL-only formats. Besides, the Cubs have totaled only 37 runs in their past 10 games against left-handed starters and a so-so 50 in their past 12 contests overall (coinciding with Aramis Ramirez's return date). … It's odd scheduling that the Red Sox decided Tim Wakefield's first start of the second half would come at Rangers Ballpark: Since 2003, he has made nine starts there, and only three of them have been quality starts. He's 3-6 with a 6.31 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in those nine starts, as the venue serves as one place you simply never want to use the knuckleballer.
Now batting

Hitters' count
• Adam LaRoche, 1B, Pirates: He's a career .333 hitter (8-for-24) with one double and two home runs versus Jeff Suppan.
• Mike Cameron, OF, Brewers: One of the primary reasons the Brewers have a fair share of success historically against Pittsburgh's Paul Maholm is players like Cameron; he's a .458 hitter (11-for-24) with three home runs, nine RBIs and one walk in his career against the left-hander.
• Corey Hart, OF, Brewers: He's a .344 hitter (11-for-32) with four doubles and one homer in his career against Maholm.
• J.J. Hardy, SS, Brewers: Keeping things rolling, Hardy is a .308 hitter (8-for-26) with one triple and one homer in his career against Maholm.
• Luke Scott, OF, Orioles: He hit a home run off A.J. Burnett in their April 9 meeting and is 4-for-8 (.500 BA) with two doubles, one home run and two walks in his career versus the right-hander. And don't forget, new Yankee Stadium favors lefties!
• Brian Roberts, 2B, Orioles: Although his .300 batting average and two home runs in 30 career at-bats versus Burnett might not be extraordinary numbers, he also has five steals in six chances. Burnett isn't the most apt at holding on baserunners, having allowed 15, seventh-most in the majors.
• Milton Bradley, OF, Cubs: He's 7-for-20 (.350 BA) with one double, one triple and two home runs in his career against Jamie Moyer, and in six career games at Citizens Bank Park, he's a .304 hitter (7-for-23) with three home runs.
• Derrek Lee, 1B, Cubs: He's 4-for-8 with three doubles in his career versus Moyer.
• Randy Winn, OF, Giants: He's 5-for-6 with two doubles in his career against Jair Jurrjens, but perhaps more importantly, he's a .379 hitter (25-for-66) with four homers and 11 RBIs in 18 career games at Turner Field.
• Curtis Granderson, OF, Tigers: He's 8-for-18 (.444 BA) with one double and one home run in his career versus fellow American League All-Star Felix Hernandez.
• David Ortiz, DH, Red Sox: He's 5-for-15 (.333 BA) with two doubles, two home runs and three walks in his career against Vicente Padilla, not to mention a .286 hitter with six homers and 16 RBIs in his past 17 games at Rangers Ballpark.
• Ivan Rodriguez, C, Astros: He's 9-for-26 (.346 BA) with four doubles and one triple in his career against Chris Carpenter.
• Mark DeRosa, 2B/3B/OF, Cardinals: He's a career .435 hitter (10-for-23) with four doubles versus Roy Oswalt.
• Jermaine Dye, OF, White Sox: He's 5-for-10 (.500 BA) with one double and one home run in his career against James Shields, who, as noted above, tends to perform significantly worse on the road than at home.
• James Loney, 1B, Dodgers: He's 7-for-12 (.583 BA) with two doubles and one home run in his career against Bronson Arroyo.
Pitchers' count
• Prince Fielder, 1B, Brewers: Paul Maholm is one tough cookie versus left-handers, limiting them to a .568 OPS in his career. Therefore, it's no surprise that Fielder is 3-for-27 (.111 BA) with eight strikeouts in his career against the lefty.
• Aubrey Huff, 1B/3B, Orioles: He might be a noted Yankee killer, but not in games versus A.J. Burnett. Huff is a career .146 hitter (7-for-48) with only two extra-base hits (neither a home run) and 12 strikeouts against the right-hander.
• Adam Jones, OF, Orioles: Jones hit a three-home run off A.J. Burnett in their meeting on July 9, 2008, but outside that, their battles have been advantage Burnett. Jones is 2-for-14 (.143) with six K's in his career against the righty.
• Jimmy Rollins, SS, Phillies: The Phillies as a whole have struggled historically against Carlos Zambrano, their active hitters combining for a .520 OPS in 94 career at-bats versus the right-hander, and Rollins is one of the ones who struggles most. He's 3-for-17 (.176 BA) in his career against Zambrano.
• Aramis Ramirez, 3B, Cubs: Incredibly, Jamie Moyer is one left-hander Ramirez cannot hit; he's hitless in 10 career at-bats versus the veteran.
• Justin Upton, OF, Diamondbacks: Few pitchers give Upton trouble these days, but Ubaldo Jimenez is one of them. Upton is hitless in seven career at-bats versus the right-hander, including five strikeouts.
• Hank Blalock, 1B/3B, Rangers: Always trust the track record facing a knuckleballer, and Blalock is 8-for-34 (.235 BA) with only two extra-base hits, both doubles, in his career against Tim Wakefield.
• Mike Lowell, 3B, Red Sox: Fresh off the disabled list, Lowell might have hits in each of his first three games back, but expect him to cool somewhat against Vicente Padilla. He's a .195 hitter (8-for-41) in his career against the right-hander.
• Carlos Lee, OF, Astros: Few pitchers handle him as aptly as Chris Carpenter does; Lee is 3-for-23 (.130 BA) with nine strikeouts in his career against the righty.
• Miguel Tejada, SS, Astros: He's 4-for-20 (.200 BA) with four strikeouts and no extra-base hits in his career against Carpenter.
• David DeJesus, OF, Royals: He's hitless in eight career at-bats versus Joe Saunders, including two strikeouts.
• Orlando Hudson, 2B, Dodgers: As you'll see below, manager Joe Torre has a tough decision to make at second base on Wednesday. OK, maybe not so tough. Hudson is 7-for-30 (.233 BA) in his career against Bronson Arroyo.
• Brandon Phillips, 2B, Reds: He's hitless in nine career at-bats versus Chad Billingsley, including four strikeouts.
If you're hard-core

• Brandon Moss, OF, Pirates: Though the Pirates haven't been playing him as much lately, they have granted him starts against each of their past six right-handed opponents, and he has responded in kind with home runs in three of them. He's also 3-for-7 with one double and one home run in his career against Jeff Suppan.
• Bill Hall, 3B, Brewers: He starts only against left-handers, but he always starts against left-handers, including in each of Milwaukee's 23 games against a lefty starter this season. Hall assuredly will be in there against Paul Maholm, as he's a .552 hitter (16-for-29) with four doubles, three home runs, eight RBIs and three walks in his career against the lefty.
• Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Rockies: He's still getting adapted to life in the majors, but back in their American League West days, Gonzalez owned Jon Garland. He's 5-for-8 (.625 BA) with three doubles in his career against the righty, all in 2008.
• Ryan Church, OF, Braves: Hard to say that any hitter who isn't an obvious fantasy start warrants consideration versus Tim Lincecum, but for the record, Church is 4-for-6 with one triple in his career against the defending Cy Young winner.
• Omar Vizquel, SS, Rangers: Might manager Ron Washington grant Vizquel the start at shortstop over Elvis Andrus facing knuckleballer Tim Wakefield? It's possible, considering Vizquel has batted .364 (20-for-55) with four doubles in his career against the right-hander.
• Mark Kotsay, 1B/OF, Red Sox: Keep tabs on the early lineups, as the Red Sox might slot him in against Vicente Padilla, accounting for his career .385 batting average (10-for-26) and two home runs versus the right-hander.
• Jose Guillen, OF, Royals: If there is one Royal who gives Joe Saunders problems, it's Guillen. He's 5-for-10 with two doubles in his career against the lefty.
• Dioner Navarro, C, Rays: He's 5-for-11 (.455 BA) with two doubles in his career against John Danks.
• Mark Loretta, 2B, Dodgers: Torre needs to give serious consideration to starting Loretta against Bronson Arroyo. Loretta is 13-for-26 (.500 BA) with two doubles in his career versus the right-hander.
Triage

Injury list: Out
• Darin Erstad, OF, Astros (hamstring, 15-day DL)
• Frank Francisco, RP, Rangers (pneumonia, 15-day DL): He's eligible to be activated as early as Sunday.
• Jason Giambi, 1B, Athletics (quadriceps, 15-day DL)
• Edgar Gonzalez, 2B, Padres (concussion, 15-day DL)
• Ramon Hernandez, C/1B, Reds (knee, 15-day DL): He's out four to six weeks following knee surgery.
Injury list: Day-to-day
• Lance Berkman, 1B, Astros (calf)
• Joe Crede, 3B, Twins (shoulder)
• Nelson Cruz, OF, Rangers (finger)
• Orlando Hudson, 2B, Dodgers (wrist)
• Jonathan Papelbon, RP, Red Sox (illness)
• Juan Rivera, OF, Angels (hamstring)
• Aaron Rowand, OF, Giants (elbow)
• Gary Sheffield, OF, Mets (hamstring): Might be available to pinch hit
• Vernon Wells, OF, Blue Jays (illness)
Weather concerns

• Two games are weatherproof: Indians-Blue Jays and Cardinals-Astros.
• Expect some rain up and down the East Coast, though nothing that seems like a high probability to wash out a ballgame. Day contests in New York (Orioles-Yankees) and Philadelphia (Cubs-Phillies) might battle some thunderstorms, although each city has less than a 50 percent chance of rain overall. The night game in Washington (Mets-Nationals) has a 30 percent chance of rain, hardly a lot.
• Detroit (Mariners-Tigers) and Pittsburgh (Brewers-Pirates) bear watching as well, although again, neither stands a great chance at a rainout. There's a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in Pittsburgh after noon, and a 60 percent chance of the same in Detroit at night.
• Texas (Red Sox-Rangers) will face a 40 percent chance of rain

Lopez out, Hart leading off
By Anthony Witrado of the Journal Sentinel
July 22, 2009 10:24 a.m.

Pittsburgh - Felipe Lopez's tweaked right hamstring isn't a major issue we're being told here, but he is being kept out of the lineup for precautionary reasons. Lopez said he is fine and that there is just a little bit of soreness.

It started bothering him after he was on third and broke home on a ground ball last night in the fifth inning. He was thrown out at the plate.

That leaves Corey Hart at the top of the order. Lopez has been off to an excellent start so far, going 5 for 8 with a walk in two games.

Burnett allowed three runs in six innings Friday against the Tigers. The Yankees won 5-3, but Burnett did not factor into the decision.

Burnett struggled with his command once again, walking five batters and striking out just one. The normally sharp pitcher now has a 3:9 K:BB ratio over his last two starts. He'll look to get that strikeout number back up to its normal level next week against the Orioles.

Zambrano allowed one unearned run in five innings Friday night against the Nationals, improving his record to 6-4 this season.

Zambrano was wild at the start, needing 40 pitches to get through a first inning that saw him walk in a run with the bases loaded. The elevated pitch count was the only reason for his early departure, because after the first he settled down and allowed nothing but a few harmless singles over the next four frames. He also continued his recent success at the plate with a two-RBI double.


Moyer allowed one hit and one walk over seven shutout innings Thursday against Florida. He struck out four and collected his ninth win.

If Moyer could face the Marlins and Nationals every time out, he'd be a respectable pitcher, but his soft stuff seems to only be effective against young, free-swinging teams anymore.

Parlay $100.00 $152.49 Baseball - 901 Milwaukee Brewers/Pittsburgh Pirates over 8½ -110 for Game
Baseball - 918 New York Yankees -310 for Game

Perkins gave up three runs over five innings with four strikeouts and one walk to improve to 5-5 in Friday's win over Texas.


While Perkins didn't have a great outing, he got a win and survived in Texas. He had a poor last outing before the All-Star break (5 ER in 4.1 IP) while recovering from an illness, so it looks like he's back to full strength.



Cahill, who has struggled in his past four starts, tweaked his mechanics a bit during a bullpen session on Monday and was pleased with the initial results according to the team's web site.

Cahill had enjoyed some moderate success prior to his recent string of starts, so it will be interesting to see if the small adjustments pay off in terms of improved control and sink on his pitches.

<table bgcolor="#e6e6e6" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="581"><tbody><tr><td height="20"><table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td align="left">
</td> <td align="right"> Coors Field | 3:10 PM ET </td> </tr></tbody></table></td></tr> <tr><td> </td></tr> <tr><td><table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr> <td width="38"> </td> <td class="textSm" width="50%"> Jon Garland, RHP (5-9, 4.45)
Diamondbacks (40-54) </td> <td class="textXl"> @ </td> <td width="38"> </td> <td class="textSm" width="50%"> Ubaldo Jimenez, RHP (7-9, 3.82)
Rockies (51-43) </td> </tr></tbody></table></td></tr> <tr><td> </td></tr> <tr><td class="pad5">
Scouting Report:
Diamondbacks: Garland pitched well enough to win in his last outing, but came away with a loss as the D-backs fell, 6-1, to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Garland allowed just two runs over six innings. Both of the runs came on homers by Albert Pujols. The first homer to Pujols came on the first pitch of the fourth inning while the second came on a 3-0 pitch when he was leading off the sixth. In his start just prior to the All-Star Break, Garland picked up his first win since May 19, a span of nine starts. He has pitched better than his numbers would indicate. A few outings in which he was really hammered has skewed his ERA.Rockies: In his last start, Jimenez struck out a season-high 10 batters in the Rockies' victory over the Padres. He tossed seven innings, allowing three runs on three hits. With the Rockies holding a 5-1 lead, he gave up two runs in the fifth inning that breathed some life into the struggling Padres' bats. "[Jimenez] is inches away from being a very special player, but we're not there yet." Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. "[He needs to] get to the point where the mindset is such that when you build a 5-1 lead, there's very little doubt as to where the game is headed. That's what we're working on."


</td></tr> </tbody></table>
<table bgcolor="#e6e6e6" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="581"> <tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#cacaca"> </td></tr> <tr><td height="20"><table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr> <td align="left"></td> <td align="right"> PETCO Park | 3:35 PM ET </td> </tr></tbody></table></td></tr> <tr><td> </td></tr> <tr><td><table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr> <td width="38"> </td> <td class="textSm" width="50%"> Ricky Nolasco, RHP (6-7, 5.77)
Marlins (48-47) </td> <td class="textXl"> @ </td> <td width="38"> </td> <td class="textSm" width="50%"> Josh Geer, RHP (1-5, 6.02)
Padres (37-57) </td> </tr></tbody></table></td></tr> <tr><td> </td></tr> <tr><td class="pad5">
Scouting Report:
Marlins: Nolasco took a no-decision in his last start, allowing four runs on seven hits over six innings while striking out five and walking two Phillies on July 17. The right-hander struggled a bit in the first, allowing a Chase Utley two-run homer, but settled in afterwards to retire nine straight before giving up another two runs in the fourth. Nolasco has struggled on the road this season, going 2-4 with a 6.99 ERA over nine starts.Padres: Geer struggled for the second time in as many starts on July 17 against the Rockies, allowing five earned runs on seven hits with four walks in a loss to Colorado. He's now allowed 11 earned runs in his last 8 2/3 innings. Geer also allowed a home run in the first inning to Clint Barmes, making it 23 home runs he's allowed this season, the most in the National League. The walks were out of character for Geer, who hadn't walked a batter in each of his last three starts and had walked just four in his last six combined starts.


</td></tr> </tbody></table>
<table bgcolor="#e6e6e6" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="581"> <tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#cacaca"> </td></tr> <tr><td height="20"><table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr> <td align="left"></td> <td align="right"> Oakland Coliseum | 3:35 PM ET </td> </tr></tbody></table></td></tr> <tr><td> </td></tr> <tr><td><table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr> <td width="38"> </td> <td class="textSm" width="50%"> Glen Perkins, LHP (5-5, 4.75)
Twins (48-46) </td> <td class="textXl"> @ </td> <td width="38"> </td> <td class="textSm" width="50%"> Trevor Cahill, RHP (5-8, 4.72)
Athletics (39-53) </td> </tr></tbody></table></td></tr> <tr><td> </td></tr> <tr><td class="pad5">
Scouting Report:
Twins: Earning the unenviable task of starting the first game out of the All-Star break, Perkins looked a tad rusty in his last outing against the Rangers. Perkins pitched just five innings, giving up three runs on seven hits while throwing 102 pitches. It's the second successive short outing for Perkins, who had previously delivered a pair of quality starts against the Cardinals and the Royals on the road. He'll next face the A's, the only American League team he has yet to pitch against in his career.Athletics: Cahill's struggles continued Friday night. The 21-year-old rookie allowed three runs in just 4 2/3 innings, surrendering six hits and walking four. Things could have been worse. Brad Ziegler came in for Cahill with the bases loaded, getting a flyout to center to end the threat. Cahill has now given up 19 earned runs in 17 1/3 innings (10.00 ERA) over his past four starts. He'll look to rebound against the Twins, who he held to three runs in seven innings on June 11.

</td></tr></tbody></table>

BadCo said:

Parlay $100.00 $152.49 Baseball - 901 Milwaukee Brewers/Pittsburgh Pirates over 8½ -110 for Game
Baseball - 918 New York Yankees -310 for Game

Click to expand...

great play, looking great soo far, will be rooting, cant wait to see waht else u have, great info

STRAIGHT BET
[906] TOTAL u9-110 (ARI D`BACKS vs COL ROCKIES)
( J GARLAND -R / U JIMENEZ -R )

hey badco do u have a record? i notice u have been doing very well but im curious

Nah I work 8 days a week and come on here on limited days.

I post all this to view it better.......... and for others.

Hernandez kept his strong season rolling Friday, allowing two runs on five hits and a walk in eight innings at Cleveland. He struck out eight.

His lone walk didn't come until his final frame. Hernandez gave up two hard-hit balls (a double and a triple both from Grady Sizemore) but otherwise was barely touched. His K:BB now stands at 129:37, and he lowered his ERA to 2.51 in notching his 10th win.


Galarraga allowed four runs and nine hits in six innings of a 5-4 loss at Cleveland on July 11. He had been 2-0 with a 3.47 ERA in his previous four starts

Pavano will not pitch until the sixth game after the All-Star break as the Indians want to give him some rest.''We can use the break to give Carl a little extra time,'' manager Eric Wedge told the Akron Beacon Journal

Pavano has shown no signs of injury or fatigue, but the Indians want to limit his innings to keep him fresh for the second half of the season.


Romero allowed four runs and five hits while walking five in 4 1-3 innings of a 4-1 loss to Boston on Friday. The left-hander was 4-0 with a 2.28 ERA in his previous six starts since losing at Texas on June 11.

Lincecum allowed just one run in seven innings Friday against the Pirates. He fanned 10 and walked just one.

Lincecum didn't pick up the win because Paul Maholm was equally impressive for the Pirates, but it was otherwise just another outstanding performance from a guy who makes it look easy. He has allowed runs in just two of his last 37 innings

Jurrjens fired six scoreless innings Friday night against the Mets, allowing just two hits. He struck out one and walked two.

Having just one strikeout was disappointing, but Jurrjens isn't much of a strikeout guy anyway. His value comes in the form of his consistency and low ERA (now at 2.77).

Padilla, making his first start since suffering a bruised palm, allowed 11 hits and five runs on Friday.


Padilla was touched up for some runs early, including a pair of runs following what should have been a called strike to end the inning, but finished with four scoreless frames. Texas just started a run of 16 of 19 games at home, with Padilla currently scheduled to make three more starts at home before a road start in Anaheim.


Making his first start since Aug. 20, Buchholz (1-0, 1.59 ERA) allowed one run and four hits over 5 2-3 innings in Friday's 4-1 win at Toronto.

Although he earned his first victory since May 2, 2008, against Tampa Bay, the 24-year-old right-hander was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket.

Pelfrey got beat up by the Braves on Friday, giving up nine hits and nine earned runs in just 4.1 innings of work.

The injured Mets have been struggling lately, and wins have been hard to come by. Pelfrey's season ERA is now 5.07, which is substantially higher than what the Mets have been able to produce lately (scoring 2.77 runs per game in July).


Stammen suffered his third loss in five starts Friday night, 3-1 to the visiting Chicago Cubs as he gave up three runs in six innings.

Stammen has received only two total runs of support in his five losses this season from Washington which has lost four consecutive series

Mets Blog

<!--WEBSIDESTORY CODE HBX2.0 (Universal)--> <!--COPYRIGHT 1997-2005 WEBSIDESTORY,INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. U.S.PATENT No. 6,393,479B1. MORE INFO:http://websidestory.com/privacy--> <script language="javascript"> var _hbEC=0,_hbE=new Array;function _hbEvent(a,b){b=_hbE[_hbEC++]=new Object();b._N=a;b._C=0;return b;} var hbx=_hbEvent("pv");hbx.vpc="HBX0200u";hbx.gn="a.nypost.com"; //BEGIN EDITABLE SECTION //CONFIGURATION VARIABLES hbx.acct="DM570110G2DA79EN3";//ACCOUNT NUMBER(S) hbx.pn="game_94_mets_at.html";//PAGE NAME(S) hbx.pndef="index.htm";//DEFAULT PAGE NAME hbx.mlc="sports/mets/blogs/";//MULTI-LEVEL CONTENT CATEGORY hbx.ctdef="full";//DEFAULT CONTENT CATEGORY //OPTIONAL PAGE VARIABLES //ACTION SETTINGS hbx.fv="";//FORM VALIDATION MINIMUM ELEMENTS OR SUBMIT FUNCTION NAME hbx.lt="auto";//LINK TRACKING hbx.dlf="n";//DOWNLOAD FILTER hbx.dft="n";//DOWNLOAD FILE NAMING hbx.elf="n";//EXIT LINK FILTER //REQUIRED SECTION. CHANGE "YOURSERVER" TO VALID LOCATION ON YOUR WEB SERVER (HTTPS IF FROM SECURE SERVER) </script><script language="javascript1.1" src="http://www.nypost.com/jscript/hbx.js"></script> <!--END WEBSIDESTORY CODE--> « Mets investigating Bernazard | Blog Home
July 22, 2009

Game 94: Mets at Nationals

WASHINGTON -- While their front office deals with the Tony Bernazard controversy, the Mets are hoping Mike Pelfrey can get back on track tonight when he takes the mound here tonight against the Nationals.
Pelfrey is coming off arguably the worst outing of his big-league career last weekend in Atlanta, where he allowed nine runs on nine hits and a walk in just 4 1/3 innings of an eventual 11-0 blasting by the Braves.
Pelfrey also has watched his ERA balloon by more than a full run to 5.07 from its low point May 23 in Boston, when the big right-hander stood at 3.88.
Pelfrey, who is 3-3 with a 3.18 ERA in nine career appearances against the Nationals, will square off against Craig Stammen. A fellow righty, Stammen has won just two of his seven decisions this season but has a better ERA than Pelfrey at 4.46.

- San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum has beaten the Atlanta Braves more than any other team he's faced. Even with Lincecum starting Wednesday night's third of a four-game road series, the Giants might have trouble defeating the Braves if their hitters don't pull out of their funk.
In just three seasons, Lincecum (10-2, 2.27 ERA) has established himself as arguably the NL's top pitcher, and he's been at his most dominant when facing Atlanta, sporting a 5-0 mark and 2.08 ERA in five career matchups.
He scattered five hits over eight innings of a 4-0 home victory May 26 versus the Braves, improving to 8-0 with a 1.89 ERA in night games this season.
What could keep Lincecum from maintaining those perfect marks is a Giants' offense that has batted .209 in dropping five of six while being outscored 36-13.



The Giants' hitting woes also cost Lincecum an opportunity for a fifth win in as many starts Friday night in Pittsburgh - his first appearance after starting his first All-Star Game.



Despite yielding only one run over seven innings and striking out 10, the right-hander was not part of the decision in a 2-1 defeat in 14 innings.


"Look at where we were in the first half," Lincecum, who is 4-0 with a 1.16 ERA in his last five starts, told the Giants' official Web site. "We were playing great ball. I think if we do the same things ... good things will happen."



The Braves, meanwhile, have charged out of the break by averaging 7.2 runs in their 5-1 start to an eight-game homestand and are hitting a major league-best .300 this month.



Since moving into the No. 2 spot in the lineup, Martin Prado is hitting .377 in July. The player who once occupied that spot, shortstop Yunel Escobar, has performed even better after moving to the No. 6 slot, bating .413 this month.
"Prado, getting him in that No. 2 hole and dropping Escobar down where he can get some RBIs ... has made a world of difference," said manager Bobby Cox, whose team hasn't been three games above .500 since May 24.
All-Star catcher Brian McCann extended a nine-game hitting streak in Tuesday's win and is 12 for 35 (.343) with two homers and 11 RBIs in that time.
Right-hander Jair Jurrjens (8-7, 2.77) will try to benefit again from that hitting resurgence as he tries to win a career-high third consecutive start.
On Friday night, Jurrjens pitched six innings of an 11-0 win over the visiting New York Mets and improved to 3-1 with a 2.16 ERA in four outings this month.


In two career starts against the Giants, however, he's 0-2 with a 3.46 ERA and has received a combined two runs of support.



Updated July 22, 2009

Indians-Blue Jays Preview

By JEFF MEZYDLO,
STATS Senior Writer

(AP) -- Hoping to revive his career, Carl Pavano has put together a respectable season for the Cleveland Indians.

The veteran right-hander tries for a third straight victory while looking to help the Indians to a second straight road win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night at Rogers Centre.

After four injury-filled years with the New York Yankees, Pavano (8-7, 5.13 ERA) has been solid for the most part in his first season with last-place Cleveland (37-57), which snapped a four-game losing streak with a 2-1 win in Tuesday's series opener.

Pavano returns to the mound for the first time in 1 1/2 weeks after manager Eric Wedge opted to skip his last start in order to give the 33-year-old some extra rest after the All-Star break.

Since going 0-3 with an 8.85 ERA in his final four starts of June, Pavano is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in July. He allowed two runs and seven hits while striking out six in eight innings of a 5-4 win at Detroit on July 11.

Pavano's recent success and overall performance this season could make him a potential subject of trade rumors as next week's deadline approaches. Pavano doesn't appear too concerned about indirectly auditioning for other teams.



Pavano is 2-3 with a 5.45 ERA in seven starts versus the Blue Jays (46-48), who had won two in row coming into this set.

The Blue Jays were unable to protect a 1-0 lead in the ninth Tuesday as Victor Martinez hit a two-run double for the Indians, who have scored three runs or fewer in six of their last eight games.

"It's always great when you win a game, especially like this," said Martinez. who's batting .360 (9 for 25) with four doubles and six RBIs versus Toronto this season.

The Indians, who are 3-3 against the Blue Jays in 2009, get their first look at Toronto rookie Ricky Romero in this contest.

Romero (7-4, 3.25) allowed four runs and five hits while walking five in 4 1-3 innings of a 4-1 loss to Boston on Friday. The left-hander was 4-0 with a 2.28 ERA in his previous six starts since losing at Texas on June 11.

Scott Rolen hit his seventh homer and All-Star Aaron Hill snapped an 0-for-19 slump with two hits for Toronto, which has lost 15 of its last 21 games.



Rolen is batting .360 (9 for 25) with two homers against Cleveland this season, but is a career .206 hitter with two home runs versus Pavano.

Hill is hitting .357 (10 for 28) against the Indians in 2009.