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MLB hot lines: Lack of support gives pitchers value
Texas at Tampa Bay – Tampa Bay +123
James Shields has to be getting sick of this.
The Devil Rays right-hander has been stellar against the American League’s biggest bats, shutting down the Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays this summer. Tampa Bay’s inability to back its hot prospect at the plate is the reason Shields is just 5-6 this season.
Shields has allowed only 11 runs in his last five starts, but is just 1-2 with two no decisions because of only 18 runs of support during that span. The 24-year-old always seems to face off against other aces and has gone head-to-head with Johan Santana, Mike Mussina and Curt Schilling in his first year in the bigs.
Today Texas starts right-hander Adam Eaton. Eaton is 14-7 this season with a 4.06 ERA.
Houston at Cincinnati – Houston +111
Andy Pettitte has his groove back. Now if the Astros could help him keep it.
The veteran lefty split wins and losses in his last seven starts despite finding his form late into the season. Pettitte has given up only 18 runs in his last 10 starts, posting a 2.74 ERA since the end of June. Houston backers have only been able to cash in on five of his appearances since then thanks to a lack of run support.
The Astros lost 1-0 in Pettitte`s last start.
Arizona at San Francisco – Arizona +102
It seems like a fresh breath of desert air is all Livan Hernandez needed to spark life into a dismal season. The right-hander will go for win No. 2 with Arizona when he makes his third start with the Diamondbacks since being traded from Washington.
Hernandez has felt more confident with one of the best hitting teams in the National League providing backup, a struggle Hernandez faced with the Nationals.
The Giants haven’t been able to get the same boost out of their starter today, Noah Lowry. Lowry hasn’t won a game in his last five starts, posting a 4.47 ERA during this skid. San Francisco has allowed 21 runs in its last three games, and has a 5.30 team ERA against the Diamondbacks this season.
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Monday, August 21st
National League:
Washington at Florida, 7:05 EST
Billy Traber (L) vs. Anibal Sanchez (R)
Traber: Washington 0-11 SU away after allowing 9+ runs
Sanchez: Florida 7-0 SU off 3+ Unders
Pittsburgh at Atlanta, 7:05 EST
Zach Duke (L) vs. John Smoltz (R)
Duke: Pittsburgh 2-18 SU away off 3+ division games
Smoltz: 13-1 TSR vs. NL Central opponents
Houston at Cincinnati, 7:10 EST
Andy Pettitte (L) vs. Bronson Arroyo (R)
Pettitte: 0-6 TSR after allowing 1 or 0 runs last start
Arroyo: Cincinnati 23-11 Over at home off 6+ division games
Philadelphia at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 EST
Jon Lieber (R) vs. Rich Hill (L)
Lieber: 2-15 TSR away on Mondays
Hill: 5-1 Under this season
LA Dodgers at San Diego, 10:05 EST ESPN2
Chad Billingsley (R) vs. Chan Ho Park (R)
Billingsley: Dodgers 9-20 SU playing with triple revenge
Park: 17-4 Over vs. division opponents
Arizona at San Francisco, 10:15 EST
Livan Hernandez (R) vs. Noah Lowry (L)
Hernandez: Arizona 6-0 SU off a one-run division loss
Lowry: San Francisco 2-11 SU at home after winning 5 or 6 of their last 7 games
American League:
NY Yankees at Boston, 1:05 EST ESPN2
Cory Lidle (R) vs. David Wells (L)
Lidle: Yankees 14-1 SU off 4+ Overs
Wells: Boston 6-13 SU in August
Oakland at Toronto, 7:05 EST
Dan Haren (R) vs. Ted Lilly (L)
Haren: Oakland 19-6 SU away in August
Lilly: Toronto 2-9 SU after scoring 9+ runs
Chicago White Sox at Detroit, 7:05 EST
Jose Contreras (R) vs. Justin Verlander (R)
Contreras: White Sox 17-7 SU away off 6+ division games
Verlander: Detroit 8-16 SU at home off a loss by 2 runs or less
Texas at Tampa Bay, 7:15 EST
Adam Eaton (R) vs. James Shields (R)
Eaton: Texas 13-6 SU in August
Shields: Tampa Bay 5-21 SU vs. AL West opponents
** (TC) Denotes Time Change
** TSR: Team Start Record
Texas at Tampa Bay – Tampa Bay +123
James Shields has to be getting sick of this.
The Devil Rays right-hander has been stellar against the American League’s biggest bats, shutting down the Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays this summer. Tampa Bay’s inability to back its hot prospect at the plate is the reason Shields is just 5-6 this season.
Shields has allowed only 11 runs in his last five starts, but is just 1-2 with two no decisions because of only 18 runs of support during that span. The 24-year-old always seems to face off against other aces and has gone head-to-head with Johan Santana, Mike Mussina and Curt Schilling in his first year in the bigs.
Today Texas starts right-hander Adam Eaton. Eaton is 14-7 this season with a 4.06 ERA.
Houston at Cincinnati – Houston +111
Andy Pettitte has his groove back. Now if the Astros could help him keep it.
The veteran lefty split wins and losses in his last seven starts despite finding his form late into the season. Pettitte has given up only 18 runs in his last 10 starts, posting a 2.74 ERA since the end of June. Houston backers have only been able to cash in on five of his appearances since then thanks to a lack of run support.
The Astros lost 1-0 in Pettitte`s last start.
Arizona at San Francisco – Arizona +102
It seems like a fresh breath of desert air is all Livan Hernandez needed to spark life into a dismal season. The right-hander will go for win No. 2 with Arizona when he makes his third start with the Diamondbacks since being traded from Washington.
Hernandez has felt more confident with one of the best hitting teams in the National League providing backup, a struggle Hernandez faced with the Nationals.
The Giants haven’t been able to get the same boost out of their starter today, Noah Lowry. Lowry hasn’t won a game in his last five starts, posting a 4.47 ERA during this skid. San Francisco has allowed 21 runs in its last three games, and has a 5.30 team ERA against the Diamondbacks this season.
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Monday, August 21st
National League:
Washington at Florida, 7:05 EST
Billy Traber (L) vs. Anibal Sanchez (R)
Traber: Washington 0-11 SU away after allowing 9+ runs
Sanchez: Florida 7-0 SU off 3+ Unders
Pittsburgh at Atlanta, 7:05 EST
Zach Duke (L) vs. John Smoltz (R)
Duke: Pittsburgh 2-18 SU away off 3+ division games
Smoltz: 13-1 TSR vs. NL Central opponents
Houston at Cincinnati, 7:10 EST
Andy Pettitte (L) vs. Bronson Arroyo (R)
Pettitte: 0-6 TSR after allowing 1 or 0 runs last start
Arroyo: Cincinnati 23-11 Over at home off 6+ division games
Philadelphia at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 EST
Jon Lieber (R) vs. Rich Hill (L)
Lieber: 2-15 TSR away on Mondays
Hill: 5-1 Under this season
LA Dodgers at San Diego, 10:05 EST ESPN2
Chad Billingsley (R) vs. Chan Ho Park (R)
Billingsley: Dodgers 9-20 SU playing with triple revenge
Park: 17-4 Over vs. division opponents
Arizona at San Francisco, 10:15 EST
Livan Hernandez (R) vs. Noah Lowry (L)
Hernandez: Arizona 6-0 SU off a one-run division loss
Lowry: San Francisco 2-11 SU at home after winning 5 or 6 of their last 7 games
American League:
NY Yankees at Boston, 1:05 EST ESPN2
Cory Lidle (R) vs. David Wells (L)
Lidle: Yankees 14-1 SU off 4+ Overs
Wells: Boston 6-13 SU in August
Oakland at Toronto, 7:05 EST
Dan Haren (R) vs. Ted Lilly (L)
Haren: Oakland 19-6 SU away in August
Lilly: Toronto 2-9 SU after scoring 9+ runs
Chicago White Sox at Detroit, 7:05 EST
Jose Contreras (R) vs. Justin Verlander (R)
Contreras: White Sox 17-7 SU away off 6+ division games
Verlander: Detroit 8-16 SU at home off a loss by 2 runs or less
Texas at Tampa Bay, 7:15 EST
Adam Eaton (R) vs. James Shields (R)
Eaton: Texas 13-6 SU in August
Shields: Tampa Bay 5-21 SU vs. AL West opponents
** (TC) Denotes Time Change
** TSR: Team Start Record
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