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Friday, June 22
Philadelphia Phillies at St. Louis Cardinals (-108, 10)
The Cards have a couple of reasons to be upset about playing in the only non-interleague series this weekend.
For starters, they won four of their last five contests against AL clubs. Now they’re facing the Phillies, who are 9-4 against the NL Central this year. St. Louis is only 1-5 against NL East clubs in 2007.
The Phillies also represent the Cards’ first threatening opponent on the basepaths since catcher Yadier Molina fractured his wrist in late May. Opposing teams have subsequently stolen 12 bases in 13 attempts against St. Louis' backup backstops.
"(Molina) definitely deters them from running," catcher Gary Bennett told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "What he does back there is pretty special.”
Opposing baserunners stole six bases in 12 attempts against Molina this year, but 18 of 19 against Bennett, who’s likely to see the bulk of action behind the plate this weekend.
Pick: Phillies +100
Houston Astros at Texas Rangers (-121, 11)
Texas starter Kevin Millwood says he’s seen the light. He struck out 10 Cincinnati Reds in his last start on June 17, his first decent outing since April 13. Texas won as +142 road underdogs.
"I felt like the longer the game went on," Millwood told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram after the win, "the more I got comfortable with it and the better things went."
He failed to mention that he allowed four runs in his six innings against Cincy, making it a grand total of 43 runs crossing the plate in Millwood's 37 1/3 innings of work since mid-April. That won’t cut it against a Houston lineup that’s tearing up right-handed pitching, hitting .330 against righties over the Astros’ last 10 games.
The Astros have averaged 6.6 runs per game during their current interleague slate, during which they’ve gone 5-4 and regular backers have profited 1.88 units.
Pick: Astros +113
New York Yankees at San Francisco Giants (+107, 9)
Look at the starting pitchers and you’ll say it’s a mismatch in the Giants’ favor. San Francisco’s woeful offense, however, always steals the show when Matt Cain takes the mound. Cain’s gems in his last two starts were negated by his teammates being shut out in each by opposing hurlers. The Giants have lost each of Cain’s last six starts, combining to score only 10 runs over that span.
Barry Bonds & Co. face Kei Igawa tonight, the Japanese southpaw’s first MLB start since being sent down to the minors on May 7. Igawa worked on his mechanics, made a couple of starts for Single A Tampa, then spent the last few weeks with Triple A Scranton.
"I want to see comfort," Yankees manager Joe Torre told the New York Daily News, worried he’ll see the April version of Igawa on the mound again tonight. "I want to see him in a good rhythm, a good tempo, things like that."
Torre might be comforted by the numbers from Igawa’s last three starts in the minors: an ERA of 1.80 while allowing only 15 hits and striking out 21 batters in his 20 innings.
If that’s not enough for hesitant Yankees backers, check out the Giants’ 2-10 record over the last dozen games and 3-9 interleague record.
Pick: Yankees -115
Hot Lines
Friday, June 22
Philadelphia Phillies at St. Louis Cardinals (-108, 10)
The Cards have a couple of reasons to be upset about playing in the only non-interleague series this weekend.
For starters, they won four of their last five contests against AL clubs. Now they’re facing the Phillies, who are 9-4 against the NL Central this year. St. Louis is only 1-5 against NL East clubs in 2007.
The Phillies also represent the Cards’ first threatening opponent on the basepaths since catcher Yadier Molina fractured his wrist in late May. Opposing teams have subsequently stolen 12 bases in 13 attempts against St. Louis' backup backstops.
"(Molina) definitely deters them from running," catcher Gary Bennett told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "What he does back there is pretty special.”
Opposing baserunners stole six bases in 12 attempts against Molina this year, but 18 of 19 against Bennett, who’s likely to see the bulk of action behind the plate this weekend.
Pick: Phillies +100
Houston Astros at Texas Rangers (-121, 11)
Texas starter Kevin Millwood says he’s seen the light. He struck out 10 Cincinnati Reds in his last start on June 17, his first decent outing since April 13. Texas won as +142 road underdogs.
"I felt like the longer the game went on," Millwood told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram after the win, "the more I got comfortable with it and the better things went."
He failed to mention that he allowed four runs in his six innings against Cincy, making it a grand total of 43 runs crossing the plate in Millwood's 37 1/3 innings of work since mid-April. That won’t cut it against a Houston lineup that’s tearing up right-handed pitching, hitting .330 against righties over the Astros’ last 10 games.
The Astros have averaged 6.6 runs per game during their current interleague slate, during which they’ve gone 5-4 and regular backers have profited 1.88 units.
Pick: Astros +113
New York Yankees at San Francisco Giants (+107, 9)
Look at the starting pitchers and you’ll say it’s a mismatch in the Giants’ favor. San Francisco’s woeful offense, however, always steals the show when Matt Cain takes the mound. Cain’s gems in his last two starts were negated by his teammates being shut out in each by opposing hurlers. The Giants have lost each of Cain’s last six starts, combining to score only 10 runs over that span.
Barry Bonds & Co. face Kei Igawa tonight, the Japanese southpaw’s first MLB start since being sent down to the minors on May 7. Igawa worked on his mechanics, made a couple of starts for Single A Tampa, then spent the last few weeks with Triple A Scranton.
"I want to see comfort," Yankees manager Joe Torre told the New York Daily News, worried he’ll see the April version of Igawa on the mound again tonight. "I want to see him in a good rhythm, a good tempo, things like that."
Torre might be comforted by the numbers from Igawa’s last three starts in the minors: an ERA of 1.80 while allowing only 15 hits and striking out 21 batters in his 20 innings.
If that’s not enough for hesitant Yankees backers, check out the Giants’ 2-10 record over the last dozen games and 3-9 interleague record.
Pick: Yankees -115
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