The Bum's July's MLB POD'S-Stats-News

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Dodgers (47-47) at Nationals (48-47)
Game: 1
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: July 19, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


After entering the All-Star break as one of baseball's hottest teams, the Los Angeles Dodgers are hoping to see their success carry over in the second half.

Visiting Los Angeles opens a three-game set Friday night against the Washington Nationals' Stephen Strasburg, who tries to bounce back from one of the worst starts of his career.

The Dodgers (47-47) failed to meet expectations for much of the season before going a major league best-tying 17-5 since June 22 to climb within 2 1/2 games of NL West-leading Arizona. Los Angeles, averaging 3.8 runs to rank 26th in the majors, has posted 4.8 per game and a 2.91 ERA in its last 22.

"I was really proud of the way they have persevered. We've been through a lot," manager Don Mattingly told MLB's official website. "We've put ourselves in a good position. But we're not there yet. ... We've got to be ready to play."

"It really is a short second half, and it doesn't start in an easy manner. We go through the Nationals, a club that needs to get on a roll themselves."

Sitting six games behind NL East-leading Atlanta, Washington (48-47) ranks in the bottom third of nearly every offensive category.

"Obviously we are a better team than what we have shown," said third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, whose club entered the break in a 2-5 funk. "Whatever happened in the first half has happened. You can't do anything about it. You have to learn from it. Just go out, play the second half. ... If we go on a run, have a good 25-game stretch, we are right back in it."

While the Nationals would normally be feeling good about giving the ball to Strasburg (5-7, 2.99 ERA), he's coming off an outing to forget. The right-hander was tagged for a career-high seven earned runs and lasted two innings last Friday in an 8-3 loss at Miami.

"You just have to hang in there, I guess. It's tough. It happens to everybody. It's all about how you bounce back," he said. "You are always trying to get better, always trying to learn. It's these types of games where you have nothing working. You take a step back, just pick it apart a little bit. You kind of see the flaws a little bit more."

Strasburg has proven nearly flawless in two career matchups versus Los Angeles, posting a 0.75 ERA and striking out 13 in 12 innings.

Strasburg will get his first look at Yasiel Puig, who has carried the Dodgers since debuting June 3. The 22-year-old Cuban defector is hitting .391 with eight homers, 19 RBIs, 28 runs and five stolen bases in his first 38 games.

Hanley Ramirez has also given Los Angeles a huge lift, batting .427 with seven homers and 22 RBIs over a 26-game stretch.

"Yasiel brought a ton of energy to us and Hanley was right with him," Mattingly said.

The Dodgers give the ball to Ricky Nolasco (6-9, 3.76), who has posted mixed results in two starts since coming over from the Marlins on July 6. After allowing one run in seven innings to beat Arizona 6-1 in his team debut July 9, Nolasco surrendered three runs, eight hits and three walks in five innings Sunday in a 3-1 loss to Colorado.

Nolasco is 4-2 with a 2.32 ERA in seven career starts at Nationals Park. While Nolasco has had his way with Jayson Werth (4 for 34), Ian Desmond (3 for 16) and Zimmerman (4 for his last 20), Bryce Harper is 9 for 20 with two homers in their matchups.

The Nationals have hit .210 in dropping 12 of 17 to the Dodgers.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Yankees (51-44) at Red Sox (58-39)
Game: 1
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: July 19, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


The AL-leading Boston Red Sox are thrilled that 13 of their first 16 games after the All-Star break will be at home.

The New York Yankees are mired in fourth place in the AL East and have to be hoping they can duplicate last year's success at Fenway Park - which they haven't visited in 2013.

These longtime rivals open a three-game set Friday night, and star second baseman Robinson Cano is expected to play for the Yankees after leaving the All-Star game with a leg injury.

Boston (58-39) starts a seven-game homestand against New York and second-place Tampa Bay in its first game at Fenway since July 4. The Red Sox lead the Rays by 2 1/2 games in the East.

"The most important thing for us is that we get off the road, we get back into this ballpark and feed off the energy of the people here in Fenway,' manager John Farrell said. "We're looking forward to the start of this homestand.'

The Yankees (51-44) are six games back as they start a seven-game road stretch that includes a series with Texas.

New York's primary concern this week was the condition of Cano. He hobbled off the field after being hit on the right leg by a pitch from Mets ace Matt Harvey in the first inning of Tuesday's All-Star game.

X-rays were negative, and Cano said it was a bruised quadriceps. He indicated that Yankees head athletic trainer Steve Donohue says he will be fine.

"Oh, yeah, they called Steve and everything is good with them," Cano said. "They said just put ice on it, the X-ray was negative, and get some rest."

Cano has two singles in 19 at_bats against Boston this year, with New York losing four of six. He only batted .200 last season at Fenway after entering the year with a career .355 average in Boston, but the Yankees captured seven of nine meetings.

The Red Sox lead the majors in numerous offensive categories, most notably runs (498), extra-base hits (338) and walks (357).

Those are departments in which the injury-plagued Yankees are lagging behind. New York is tied for 20th in runs with 373, is 28th in extra-base hits with 234 and 16th in walks with 273. The Yankees finished third in the major leagues in walks last year.

"We've got to be more consistent offensively," manager Joe Girardi said. "And if we do that, we're going to have a shot. But that's probably what we need to do, more than anything."

The season series has demonstrated how Boston has gotten contributions from different sources this year. Mike Napoli has a team-high six RBIs and Daniel Nava is second with five while Jose Iglesias owns a team-best 12 hits.

Napoli is looking forward to his first taste of this rivalry in Boston.

"I haven't experienced that yet," he said. "I'm pretty sure the atmosphere is going to be (great). I'm looking forward to it and I'm sure (Friday) is going to be a fun day.'

Both teams will start left-handers with Boston's Felix Doubront (6-3, 3.91 ERA) matching up with Andy Pettitte (7-6, 4.39).

Doubront allowed one run over six innings June 1 to earn an 11-1 victory over the Yankees, giving him a 2-1 mark and 2.32 ERA in five starts against them.

Cano is 1 for 14 off of him.

Pettitte has gone 2-3 with a 5.35 ERA over his last six starts, although he won the last two. He earned a 4-2 victory over Boston on April 4 by yielding one run over a season-high eight innings.

The veteran last pitched at Fenway in 2010. He's 7-3 with a 4.05 ERA in 17 regular-season starts there.

Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz is 21 for 56 (.375) with one homer against Pettitte.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Phillies (48-48) at Mets (41-50)
Game: 1
Venue: Citi Field
Date: July 19, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


The Philadelphia Phillies have had a winning record once this year. They've had the best mark in baseball after the All-Star break over the past six.

The Phillies look to begin another strong second half when they open a pivotal nine-game road trip against the New York Mets on Friday night.

The Phillies (48-48) have won eight of 11 and are looking to move above .500 for the only time this season other than June 6, when they were 31-30.

They're 6 1/2 games behind NL East-leading Atlanta, while Washington is six back.

"What's meaningful is we're not out of the race," shortstop Jimmy Rollins said. "No matter how good you are, you're going to lose 50 games and you're going to win 50 games. It's those 62 that really make the difference. It's going to come down to the last weekend like it has the last couple of years."

That seems very possible given Philadelphia's 314-198 record after the All-Star break since the start of 2007.

Duplicating that success on this trip could be a factor in whether the Phillies are buyers or sellers at the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. After facing the Mets (41-50) for three games, Philadelphia visits division leaders St. Louis and Detroit.

"They're going to make decisions based on where we are in the standings," Rollins said. "So if we come out in the second half and start out hot, then they're going to make a decision according to that."

Visiting Citi Field may be just what Philadelphia needs, as it's won six in a row there with a 1.50 ERA.

Kyle Kendrick (8-6, 3.68 ERA) has enjoyed his own success in Flushing, going 3-1 with a 1.30 ERA in four starts. The right-hander's latest performance there may have been the best of his career, as he tossed a three-hitter in a 4-0 win April 26 to beat the Mets for a third straight start overall.

He has a 1.59 ERA during that winning streak.

Kendrick, though, has gone 1-3 with a 6.44 ERA in his last five road starts.

The Mets, who hosted Tuesday's All-Star game, concluded the first half with a 6-3 trip, but they have a losing record at the break for the first time since 2009.

"We're disappointed," manager Terry Collins told the team's official website. "We're not happy with where we're sitting. We got off to such a good start. We've had ups and downs."

While All-Star Matt Harvey provides hope for the future of the rotation, Jeremy Hefner (4-6, 3.33) has been the Mets' best starter over the past four weeks.

The right-hander has gone 3-0 with a 1.89 ERA over his last six outings, five ending in New York victories. That stretch includes a 4-3 win at Philadelphia on June 21 in which Hefner allowed three runs - two earned - with six strikeouts in six innings.

Despite that performance, he's 2-2 with an 11.02 ERA in five games - four starts - versus the Phillies.

Hefner has struggled against Domonic Brown, one of the Phillies' two All-Stars. The left fielder is 4 for 4 with a double and a home run off Hefner.

David Wright, the Mets' other All-Star, is 10 for 25 with two home runs and two doubles against Kendrick over the past four seasons.

The third baseman has batted .412 in his last 17 home games.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Pirates (56-37) at Reds (53-42)
Game: 1
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: July 19, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


No team boasted a better pitching staff through the season's first half than the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Francisco Liriano's surprising resurgence was one of the biggest reasons why.

But for all that Liriano has done, he has failed to beat the Cincinnati Reds in both of his starts.

He hopes the third try proves more favorable Friday night at Cincinnati, where the Reds counter with Mike Leake, the winning pitcher in both of those games.

An equally tough rotation and bullpen has fueled the Pirates' major league-leading 3.07 ERA and a 56-37 record, their best All-Star break since 1991.

Pittsburgh's decision to sign Liriano (9-3, 2.00 ERA) to a one-year deal worth just $1 million guaranteed was seen as a low-risk investment, but it's one that's helped bolster the staff.

He's tied for seventh in the NL in wins despite making only 12 starts and his ERA would rank second if he threw enough innings to qualify. The left-hander's 32.5 swing-and-miss percentage is tied with Yu Darvish for baseball's best and his highest since 2006, his final season before Tommy John surgery.

"I'm just trying to learn how to go out there every fifth day and make pitches," said Liriano, who allowed four hits in seven innings while recording his fourth straight victory in a 5-0 win over Oakland on July 10.

He hasn't lost since a 4-1 defeat at Cincinnati on June 17, and his most recent loss prior to that was a 2-0 home setback to the Reds (53-42) on June 1. Liriano yielded only three runs with 17 strikeouts over 12 innings in those contests, but Leake (8-4, 2.69) was slightly better, limiting Pittsburgh to one run over 13 innings.

Leake won for the first time in four starts in his last outing prior to the break, giving up two runs and four hits over a season-high 8 1-3 innings in a 6-2 victory at Milwaukee on July 10.

He'll take on a Pirates offense looking to supply more run support, particularly with more clutch hitting. Pittsburgh's .230 batting average with runners in scoring position is the league's worst. More consistent offense could mean the difference between the team's first playoff berth in 21 years and another second-half flameout, which the Pirates are familiar with. Their 56-93 post-break record over the last two seasons is the third-worst in baseball.

"It shows we've got things we've got to work on," said Andrew McCutchen, who owns a team-leading .847 OPS and posted a 1.015 mark over his last 21 games before the break. "And that's all we're worried about."

A lack of timely hitting has also plagued Cincinnati more recently. The team's .218 average with runners in scoring position is the third-lowest in the majors dating back to May 29, a span in which the Reds went 20-23. They trailed St. Louis in the NL Central by 1 1/2 games prior to that stretch, and are now five games behind the Cardinals and four behind the Pirates.

Joey Votto, a career .347 hitter with runners in scoring position, is batting .256 in such situations since May 29.

Brandon Phillips, who drove in 10 runs over his last five games prior to the break, was 3 for 6 off Liriano earlier this season, while Russell Martin is 7 for 16 lifetime off Leake.

Pittsburgh leads the season series 6-4.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Orioles (53-43) at Rangers (54-41)
Game: 1
Venue: Rangers Ballpark in Arlington
Date: July 19, 2013 8:05 PM EDT


Chris Davis' season has already entered the record books.

Now, the Baltimore Orioles are hoping he can eventually lead them back to the postseason.

Davis looks to continue his staggering production Friday night as the Orioles visit Arlington for the first time since eliminating the Texas Rangers from the playoffs in October.

Davis has emerged as one of the most feared hitters in baseball, and his major league-leading 37 homers tied the AL record for the most before the All-Star break, set by Reggie Jackson in 1969.

Davis also has a career-high 93 RBIs, two fewer than Detroit's Miguel Cabrera for the most in baseball. He went 1 for 3 while batting behind Cabrera in the AL's 3-0 All-Star game win Tuesday after entering the break with homers in four straight games.

The first of that stretch was a solo shot in a 3-1 win over Texas on July 11, helping Baltimore (53-43) - currently 4 1/2 games behind East-leading Boston - earn a split of a four-game set at Camden Yards.

Davis, though, is eying more than personal glory after the Orioles were eliminated in the division series by New York last season. That, of course, came after their 5-1 victory at Texas in the wild-card round.

"It's a productive year," Davis told the team's official website. "Did we go to the World Series? Did we win the World Series? I think that's the ultimate goal. How far did the team go? A lot of guys had productive years last year, but we didn't finish where we wanted to finish."

Giving the ball to Wei-Yin Chen (4-3, 2.82 ERA) may help get this three-game series off to a strong start.

The left-hander has won both of his career starts against Texas behind a 1.23 ERA after allowing one run and three hits in seven innings July 10. That was also Chen's first outing after missing nearly two months with a strained right oblique.

"For the last year and a half, he was a consistent force for our rotation," catcher Matt Wieters said. "You know he's going to go out there and give you everything he has and compete."

The Rangers, losers of four of their last five games, may be hoping the break offered them a chance to get healthy. They have 10 players on the disabled list, including seven pitchers - six starters.

"It's been a grind in the first half with the challenges we've been put up against," manager Ron Washington told the team's official website. "But we've done a good job dealing with it, and going through it can't help but make you stronger."

Washington will give the ball to Derek Holland (8-4, 3.08), who is doing his part to pick up the slack on the mound. The left-hander is 3-0 with a 1.88 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 28 2-3 innings over his last four starts.

"I just have to start the second half strong," Holland said. "I want to continue what I've been doing."

Holland has won four straight starts versus the Orioles with a 2.10 ERA. He earned an 8-5 victory at Baltimore on July 8, when he allowed five runs - three earned - in 6 2-3 innings, ringing up Davis for three of his seven strikeouts.

Nelson Cruz, one of three Rangers All-Stars on Tuesday, is a career .358 hitter against the Orioles - his highest average against any AL opponent.

He's been even better against them at Rangers Ballpark, hitting .392 with 22 RBIs in 19 games, including two hits in last year's playoff meeting.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Braves (54-41) at White Sox (37-55)
Game: 1
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: July 19, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


While the Atlanta Braves entered the All-Star break with several injury concerns, they are hoping to have three of their top players back when the second half gets underway.

Justin Upton, Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman could return Friday night when the visiting Braves open a three-game set against the last-place Chicago White Sox.

With Justin Upton (strained calf), B.J. Upton (strained adductor muscle), Heyward (strained hamstring) and Freeman (jammed thumb) sidelined, Atlanta's lineup appeared almost unrecognizable Sunday in an 8-4 loss to Cincinnati.

B.J. Upton was placed on the disabled list before that game, but the other three could be available Friday.

"Right now, anybody that kind of flinches a little bit or grabs something, you start getting scared," manager Fredi Gonzalez told MLB's official website. "The All-Star break, hopefully these four days, we get some guys healthy and start back against the White Sox, start going again.

"You feel good any time your back's up against it like we were, and the other guys respond. I think the best is still ahead of us, offensively."

Leading the NL with 114 homers, the Braves (54-41) own a six-game lead in the NL East.

"Once you get comfortable, that lead's going to be gone or you're going to be shipped somewhere else," second baseman Dan Uggla said. "We're definitely not satisfied. But right now, looking back, we're happy with where we are."

The White Sox (37-55), in contrast, haven't seen much go their way. Chicago has gone a major league-worst 13-31 since May 27 and finds itself 14 games behind AL Central-leading Detroit.

"Not good," manager Robin Ventura said of his team's first half. "The record speaks for itself. Nobody is happy. These will be a good four days for these guys. Just go home and do whatever they are going to do and then come back ready to go. You can go home and clear your mind."

After dropping 13 of 18 before the break, the White Sox will try to bounce back behind John Danks (2-6, 4.31 ERA). The left-hander has recorded four straight quality starts while posting a 2.93 ERA.

"I think I'm on the right track now," he said after allowing three runs in 6 1-3 innings of a 5-4, 11-inning win at Philadelphia on Saturday. "I'll be disappointed if it doesn't go right."

Danks yielded three runs in seven innings to beat Atlanta 9-6 on June 22, 2010, in his only appearance in the series.

The Braves will give the ball to Tim Hudson (6-7, 4.02), who has gone 2-3 in his last eight starts despite a 2.48 ERA. The right-hander, though, is looking to win a season-high third consecutive outing after surrendering four runs - three earned - in seven innings of a 6-5 victory over Cincinnati last Thursday.

He's received 17 runs of support in his last two starts.

"Obviously when you get a lead, it's a lot easier to go up there and try to execute pitches and be more aggressive in the strike zone," Hudson said.

Hudson, 2-7 with a 5.19 ERA on the road, has gone 0-3 in four career starts at U.S. Cellular Field while posting a 10.45 ERA - by far his highest mark in any stadium. He hasn't faced the White Sox since 2010.

He's struggled against Adam Dunn, who is 11 for 31 (.355) with four homers in their matchups. Jeff Keppinger has also given him trouble, going 9 for 17.

The White Sox have outscored the Braves 35-19 during a five-game winning streak in the series dating to 2004.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Tigers (52-42) at Royals (43-49)
Game: 1
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: July 19, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


Unlike 2012, when Detroit sat third in the AL Central at the All-Star break, the Tigers currently lead the division.

That doesn't mean they're satisfied with their position.

The visiting Tigers look to pick up where they left off and hand the Kansas City Royals a sixth consecutive loss Friday night.

At this point last season, Detroit was 3 1/2 games out of first in the Central, but ultimately won 15 of the last 22 to win the division. The Tigers (52-42) currently have a 1 1/2-game lead over Cleveland, but collectively feel they have not hit their stride.

"I don't think we've showed our potential yet," pitcher Justin Verlander told the Tigers' official website. "I think we've been a little bit inconsistent, but hey, you can't be too upset. We're in first place and that's where we want to be."

The Tigers have won nine of 13 since losing six of seven, and took two of three from Texas prior to the break.

Paced by reigning AL MVP Miguel Cabrera, the Tigers lead the majors with a .281 batting average and are second with 477 runs and a .348 on-base percentage.

Looking to become the first player ever to record back-to-back Triple Crown seasons, Cabrera leads the majors in average (.365), RBIs (95) and is second in homers (30). He's hit .397 in his last 16 games at Kansas City (43-49).

Detroit starting pitchers also lead the AL with 44 victories, but scheduled starter Anibal Sanchez (7-6, 2.93 ERA) allowed five runs in 5 1-3 innings of a 6-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox on July 11 in his second start since returning from a strained shoulder.

"I think the more important thing is this is my second start back from the DL," said Sanchez, who yielded a run in five innings of a 9-4 win at Cleveland on July 6. "Everything is there, so I just have to work a little bit more with my command."

The right-hander gave up a run and 10 hits over 16 innings while going 1-1 against the Royals last season. He tossed a three-hitter and struck out 10 during a 2-0 win over Kansas City on Sept. 25.

Kansas City is 3-2 against the Tigers this season, but eight games behind the reigning AL champs in the Central. That gap was just five as recently as July 9, but the Royals were outscored 30-12 during their skid heading into the break.

"We're still in the midst of this tough stretch," manager Ned Yost told the team's official website. "You've got to keep your head above water."

Catcher Salvador Perez was one of three Kansas City All-Stars, but he's 2 for 27 in his last seven games.

Fellow All-Star Alex Gordon is 3 for 22 with 11 strikeouts in the last six. He went 1 for 11 when the Royals took two of three at home from Detroit last month.

Kansas City starter Ervin Santana (5-6, 3.37) had gone 2-0 with a 2.27 ERA while delivering seven straight quality starts before allowing eight runs and 10 hits in five innings of an 8-4 loss to the New York Yankees on July 11.

The right-hander lasted at least six innings in each of his 17 previous starts.

Facing the Tigers for the first time with Kansas City, Santana was 4-1 with a 2.65 ERA in his last seven starts against them with the Angels.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Marlins (35-58) at Brewers (38-56)
Game: 1
Venue: Miller Park
Date: July 19, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


After dealing with poor starting pitching, key injuries and plenty of rumors regarding a possible Ryan Braun drug suspension, the Milwaukee Brewers are hoping their second half goes better than the first.

The improving Miami Marlins have the same goal.

Braun is expected to return Friday night when the NL's two worst teams return from the All-Star break in Milwaukee.

The Brewers (38-56) never imagined they'd be in the NL Central basement at this point - and ahead only of the Marlins (35-58) in the league standings - but it's understandable why they're there. Milwaukee's starters have a 4.86 ERA, Corey Hart (right knee) will not play this season and Braun has played once since June 9.

Braun returned from a stint on the disabled list on July 9, but he missed the next game with the sore right thumb that landed him on the DL and the four leading into the break due to a family medical issue. He has been removed from the bereavement list, but the 2011 NL MVP remains at the center of the Biogenesis scandal that could lead to a lengthy suspension either this season or next.

"It's tough to go to war when you don't have all your weapons," catcher Jonathan Lucroy told the Brewers' official website. "But the only thing we can do right now is keep working hard and keep playing hard."

The Marlins are taking the same approach after winning 19 of 33 heading into the break. They were denied a season-best fourth consecutive victory in Sunday's 5-2, 10-inning loss to Washington.

"From the way we started those first couple of months (13-32), I'm very pleased with the way these guys have continued to grind it out through a lot of adversity and some tough losses,' manager Mike Redmond said.

"By no means are we satisfied with where we're at. We know we can get better. We'll go out there in the second half and hopefully have a great second half and finish strong.'

The Marlins' starting pitching has been strong - posting a 2.98 ERA over the last 26 games - and Friday's pitcher Jacob Turner (3-1, 2.33 ERA) has played a big role in that.

The young right-hander has yielded two runs or fewer in six of eight starts since being called up May 31, and threw seven innings of two-run ball in a 6-2 victory over Atlanta on July 10.

Turner faced Milwaukee for the first time June 11, giving up four runs in seven innings of a 5-4 home win. The Brewers won the other two games in that series by a combined 16-2.

After getting tagged for five runs and three homers in 6 1-3 innings of Saturday's 5-4 loss at Arizona, Kyle Lohse (5-7, 3.67) will get his first look at the Marlins in a Brewers uniform. The right hander won all three starts against Miami last season while with St. Louis, recording a 2.08 ERA.

Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton is 6 for 12 with two homers off Lohse, who's tied with Washington's Dan Haren for the most home runs allowed in the NL with 19.

Stanton has a homer with a team-best three RBIs against Milwaukee this season.

Lucroy went 5 for 11 with seven RBIs in that series in Miami. Carlos Gomez was 7 for 14 with three triples and five RBIs in those contests, and fellow Brewers All-Star Jean Segura finished 4 for 13 with a home run.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Indians (51-44) at Twins (39-53)
Game: 1
Venue: Target Field
Date: July 19, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


The Cleveland Indians again are right in the thick of the AL Central race, and they are convinced there won't be another second-half collapse.

Cleveland goes for a fifth consecutive victory Friday night when it visits the Minnesota Twins for the first time.

The Indians were three games out of first place and one-half game ahead of eventual division champion Detroit at last year's All-Star break, but they dropped 36 of 47 before Sept. 1 and finished just two games in front of Minnesota for the Central's worst mark.

"More than half of the team is new," first-year Indian Nick Swisher, batting .242 with nine homers and 31 RBIs, told the team's official website. "In that sense, you can't bank on what happened in the past."

Despite losing 16 of 20 from May 21-June 10, Cleveland (51-44) is just 1 1/2 games back of the division-leading Tigers after closing out the first half with a sweep of Kansas City.

"We like where we're at right now," said first-time All-Star Jason Kipnis, who had an RBI double in Tuesday's 3-0 victory over the NL.

Cleveland, winner of four of six against Minnesota this season, kicks off its six-game trip with Scott Kazmir (5-4, 4.60 ERA) on the bump.

The veteran left-hander is 2-0 with a 2.32 ERA in his last five outings after posting a 7.98 ERA in his first three June starts.

"I feel like I've been a little more consistent," Kazmir said after throwing 6 1-3 innings of two-run ball in Saturday's 5-3 victory over the Royals.

Kazmir is 0-4 with a 5.31 ERA in eight starts outside Cleveland, but he's won both of his outings against the Twins (39-53) this season, yielding three runs in 13 innings.

He'll face a Minnesota team that's 12 games off the Tigers' pace. The Twins ended the first half with two road wins over the New York Yankees after losing 12 of 13.

"I believe we can run off a 10-game winning streak just like we ran off a 10-game losing streak (from May 14-24)," manager Ron Gardenhire told the Twins' official website. "It would be a lot of fun to turn this thing around and that's what my goal is."

However, Gardenhire's club could look much different in the coming weeks with general manager Terry Ryan actively looking to improve the Twins before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

"If you're just talking about finishing the year on a positive note, I don't think so," Ryan said. "We're talking about winning and getting into the postseason."

Minnesota gives the ball to Mike Pelfrey (4-7, 5.55) as it tries to avoid its first six-game home losing streak since a seven-game slide April 13-27, 2012.

The right-hander has delivered quality starts in both outings since returning from a stint on the disabled list with a back strain. He wasn't at his best his last time out, however, surrendering two homers and three runs in six innings of a 4-3 loss at Tampa Bay on July 11.

Pelfrey made his first career start against the Indians on May 5, striking out seven and permitting one run in six innings of a 4-2 victory.

Twins All-Star Joe Mauer, batting .478 during a six-game hitting streak, has hit safely in all six games of this divisional matchup in 2013.

Kipnis is 12 for 24 with a homer, three triples, three doubles, and 12 RBIs in those contests, but he's 0 for 3 against Pelfrey.

Minnesota went 6-3 versus Cleveland at home last season.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Mariners (43-52) at Astros (33-61)
Game: 1
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: July 19, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


After one of the worst performances in his career his last time out, Bud Norris will try to bounce back as he takes the mound to open the Houston Astros' second half of the season.

But picking himself up could prove challenging against the Seattle Mariners, who entered the All-Star break riding baseball's strongest power surge.

Norris and the Astros try to slow down Raul Ibanez and the Mariners at Minute Maid Park on Friday night.

Norris (6-8, 3.63) surrendered a career-high 11 hits and matched a season worst by allowing seven runs over five innings in a 9-5 loss at St. Louis on July 9. The right-hander had posted a 2.29 ERA in his previous nine outings, though he lost 4-0 at Seattle on June 11.

To make matters worse, Norris also twisted his ankle after a pitch in the second inning against the Cardinals, though the injury wasn't serious.

"It's pretty sore, I tried to battle through it," said Norris, whose ERA leads Houston starters. "I definitely tweaked it."

While Norris gave up a two-run homer to Matt Holliday, he's limited opponents to 0.6 homers per nine innings - the second fewest among AL starters.

Norris will have to be mindful of the long ball against the Mariners (43-52), whose 37 homers and .481 slugging percentage since June 20 are the best in the majors.

Ibanez has fueled the hot stretch, hitting 10 homers with 22 RBIs in 21 games during that span with an OPS of 1.172. His 24 home runs are tied for fourth in the AL and leave him five shy of Ted Williams' 1960 record for the most in a season at the age of 41.

"He's the same guy every day, on and off the field," manager Eric Wedge said of Ibanez, whose power has helped the Mariners to 115 homers, tied for baseball's second most after their 149 were the league's fourth fewest in 2012. "He prepares as well as anybody, if not more so than that."

Ibanez is 5 for 17 with a homer and two doubles off Norris, who also beat Seattle 3-2 at home on April 23.

Mariners starter Joe Saunders (8-8, 4.24) comes in trying to win his fourth straight start. He was the winning pitcher in Seattle's 3-0 home victory over the Astros on April 8, but a 10-3 loss in Houston was consistent with his road struggles earlier in the season.

The left-hander went 0-4 with an 11.25 ERA in his first five road starts, but has since gone 3-1 with a 1.26 ERA in five starts away from Safeco Field.

He shut out the Los Angeles Angels for seven innings while yielding five hits in an 8-3 victory at home last Friday.

J.D. Martinez, batting .256, went 10 for 28 (.357) in his last seven games prior to the All-Star break. He's 1 for 5 off Saunders.

The Astros (33-61) have lost six of their last seven at home but took two of the teams' first three meetings at Minute Maid Park and own a 5-4 advantage in the season series.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Padres (42-54) at Cardinals (57-36)
Game: 1
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: July 19, 2013 8:15 PM EDT


With Jake Westbrook taking the mound at Busch Stadium, the St. Louis Cardinals appear to have a solid chance to improve on the best record in baseball.

Westbrook and the Cardinals look for their season-best sixth straight home win Friday night when they try to hand the San Diego Padres a 10th consecutive road loss.

Although St. Louis (57-36) has dealt with injuries to Westbrook, Chris Carpenter and Jaime Garcia, the team's rotation played a key role in its first-half success, sporting a 3.33 ERA that was the second-best in baseball.

The Cardinals also won seven of their last nine to take a one-game lead over Pittsburgh in the NL Central.

"We've had adversity,' manager Mike Matheny said. "We've had plenty of things not go exactly how we wanted to. It's just important to keep playing the game.'

Westbrook (5-4, 2.88 ERA), who missed more than a month due to right elbow inflammation, has certainly had things go his way at Busch Stadium. The right-hander has been nearly untouchable there, going 3-0 with a 0.31 ERA in four starts.

A second-inning home run by Miami's Logan Morrison on July 5 is the only earned run he's allowed in 29 innings at home.

NL West-worst San Diego (42-54) can't play much worse than it was in the weeks before the break. The Padres totaled 34 runs while batting .165 with runners in scoring position over a 1-14 stretch before a 10-1 win over San Francisco on Sunday.

San Diego was in second place, just 2 1/2 games behind Arizona, on June 29. It's now 8 1/2 back.

"Obviously as players and competitors we're not happy with losing, and that's why it's been difficult,' Carlos Quentin said.

The Padres are looking for better results on this 10-game road swing after dropping the last nine games on their latest trip. Their last double-digit skid away from home wasn't so long ago, Aug. 24-Sept. 10, 2011.

Jason Marquis (9-4, 3.77) will attempt to end this slide, though he's 0-2 with a 4.18 ERA over his last five starts - walking 17 in 22 innings - after winning eight consecutive decisions April 28-June 15.

The former Cardinal has pitched well against his old club, going 5-2 with a 3.77 ERA in seven starts since leaving St. Louis. The right-hander gave up one earned run and three hits over six innings in a 4-2 home win over St. Louis on May 20.

That was the Padres' lone win in that series, as the Cardinals took two of three with Carlos Beltran going 6 for 14. The All-Star outfielder is also batting .462 with five homers and nine RBIs in his last seven home games against the Padres.

Catcher Yadier Molina, who tops the NL with a .341 batting average, had been hitting 6 for 52 (.115) over a 15-game span versus San Diego before going 4 for 5 in a 5-3 win in the final game of that May series.

San Diego's Jedd Gyorko went 2 for 4 with a homer in that contest, but he's working his way back after a month on the disabled list with a strained right groin. He returned last Friday in San Francisco and went hitless in 11 at_bats over the weekend.

Teammate Chris Denorfia is 10 for 18 in his last five games versus the Cardinals, though he's 4 for 23 in nine career games in St. Louis.

The Cardinals have won 16 of 19 there against the Padres.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cubs (42-51) at Rockies (46-50)
Game: 1
Venue: Coors Field
Date: July 19, 2013 8:40 PM EDT


Finally healthy and rested following the All-Star break, the Colorado Rockies hope to take advantage of a soft schedule to open the second half.

The Rockies look to make a climb in the standings during a 10-game homestand against three of the league's worst teams, starting with the first of three against the Chicago Cubs on Friday night.

After closing out the first half with a 4-6 road trip, Colorado (46-50) is in third place in the NL West but just 4 1/2 games back of first-place Arizona.

"We're healthy again, and we've weathered this last road trip, so I think that we've got some momentum going into the second half,' said All-Star Michael Cuddyer, who hit the go-ahead two-run homer in a 3-1 win over the Dodgers on Sunday.

Cuddyer has been especially outstanding at home, hitting .362 with nine homers, 27 RBIs and a 1.068 OPS in 32 games there.

Teammate Troy Tulowitzki is hitless in 10 at_bats since missing almost a month because of a fractured rib, but he's 13 for 29 with 12 RBIs in his last seven home games against the Cubs.

While the Rockies also play last-place teams Miami and Milwaukee during this homestand, Chicago (42-51) could be a tougher challenge, having gone 24-21 in its last 45 games.

"It's a half that could have gone a lot different, but I think a lot of guys have progressed, kind of taken strides in the right way,' first baseman Anthony Rizzo said.

The Cubs have been hurt by a bullpen that's tied for the most blown saves in baseball with 19, though it's Chicago's starters who have been an even bigger problem in recent trips to Denver. The Cubs have dropped 10 of 11 at Colorado while their rotation has posted a 10.68 ERA.

Jeff Samardzija (5-9, 4.06 ERA), whose three appearances at Coors Field have come out of the bullpen, looks to reverse that trend and bounce back from one of the worst performances of his career.

The right-hander allowed four homers - as many as he'd given up in his previous nine starts - and matched a career high by allowing nine runs over 4 2-3 innings in a 13-2 loss to the Angels on July 10.

He's 1-0 with a 2.40 ERA and 14 strikeouts over 15 innings in two career home starts against the Rockies.

All-Star Carlos Gonzalez went 5 for 5 with two homers in Colorado's lone win in a three-game set at Wrigley Field in May, and he's 20 for 38 with a 1.446 OPS in nine career home games against the Cubs.

The Rockies counter with Jorge De La Rosa (9-5, 3.21), who has gone 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA in his last five starts.

The left-hander is 3-0 with a 2.59 ERA in four starts against the Cubs, though he gave up four runs while lasting just three innings, serving up homers to Starlin Castro and Dave Sappelt, at Coors on Sept. 25.

Sappelt - 8 for 19 in his last six games - could get another start in place of David DeJesus, who has been out with a shoulder injury.

Teammate Alfonso Soriano has nine homers and 19 RBIs in his last 16 games, though he's only 2 for 14 against De La Rosa.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Athletics (56-39) at Angels (44-49)
Game: 1
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: July 19, 2013 10:05 PM EDT


Though the Los Angeles Angels have the high-priced, marquee talent, the low-budget Oakland Athletics are the team to catch in the AL West.

Looking to continue their success in Anaheim, the visiting A's hope to end their recent struggles against Jered Weaver and hand the underachieving Angels a fourth consecutive defeat Friday night.

For the first time since 1990 - the last time it won the AL pennant - Oakland (56-39) is in first place at the All-Star break with a two-game lead over Texas. It also tied a club record for most wins at the break.

"I really believe that the guys in this clubhouse really believe that we have one of the best teams in baseball,' said third baseman Josh Donaldson, who leads the A's in batting (.310), home runs (16) and RBIs (61).

Oakland also has a 2.76 staff ERA in winning 12 of 17 since last losing a series at Seattle from June 21-23.

"From 1 to 25, we feel like we can put anybody in the game and they're going to be successful," Donaldson said.

Second-year outfielder and 2013 Home Run Derby champion Yoenis Cespedes is hitting .225, but has 15 homers and 43 RBIs.

"His production's still there,' manager Bob Melvin said. "He's always on the verge of a hot streak.'

Cespedes has batted .321 with a homer and seven RBIs this season versus Los Angeles (44-49), which snapped a five-game skid against the A's with a 5-4 win May 1.

The A's outscored the Angels 28-11 to sweep a three-game set at Los Angeles in April. Oakland has averaged 5.1 runs while winning 10 of 12 there.

However, Weaver (3-5, 3.63 ERA) has thrown 18 straight scoreless innings versus Oakland. He yielded only a Seth Smith solo home run over 30 2-3 innings to go 3-0 in four starts against the A's last season.

The right-hander, who missed almost two months with a broken elbow, allowed two runs in 20 2-3 while going 2-0 in three starts before he gave up four and nine hits in 5 2-3 innings of a 6-0 loss to the Mariners on Saturday.

Los Angeles starting pitchers rank near the bottom of the majors with a 4.57 ERA.

"We're not going to reach our goal without starting pitching," manager Mike Scioscia told the Angels' official website.

Despite the addition of slugger Josh Hamilton to a lineup that included Albert Pujols, Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo, the Angels are third in the West and 11 back of Oakland.

They had won 11 of 14 before being limited to six runs during a three-game sweep at the hands of Seattle last weekend.

"We need to become the team we can be and play consistent baseball,' Scioscia said. "It's in this group. We just need to get it going.'

It likely needs to start with Hamilton and Pujols, who are hitting a combined .237 with 29 homers - eight less than Baltimore's Chris Davis.

Pujols is 0 for 8 in the last two versus Oakland and 1 for 6 against scheduled starter A.J. Griffin (8-6, 3.68).

Hamilton is 4 for 7 against the right-hander, who is 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA in his last five starts after giving up six hits in eight innings of a 3-0 win over Boston on Saturday.

Griffin is 2-0 against the Angels, with the only run he allowed in 16 innings of those road contests coming over eight frames of an 8-1 victory April 11.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Diamondbacks (50-45) at Giants (43-51)
Game: 1
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: July 19, 2013 10:15 PM EDT


The Arizona Diamondbacks may have entered the All-Star break atop the NL West, but they still think they can do better.

The San Francisco Giants surely feel the same way about their disappointing first half.

The Diamondbacks emerge from the break Friday night looking to drop the Giants further out of the division race, while San Francisco tries to tighten it.

Arizona (50-45) leads the West by 2 1/2 games on second-place Los Angeles, while Colorado is 4 1/2 back in third with San Francisco trailing by 6 1/2. The Diamondbacks' slight lead comes despite having lost 10 of 13 on the road and going 21-22 within the division, with losses in nine of the past 14.

"We've had our ups and downs, but I don't think we've played our best baseball yet," All-Star pitcher Patrick Corbin told the team's official website. "I think we're just going to get better and better as the season goes on."

They may need to with San Francisco (43-51) aiming to build on winning three of four over San Diego prior to the break, including Saturday's no-hitter from Tim Lincecum. The Giants also hit .307 with 24 runs over that stretch after mustering an average of 2.3 while batting .214 during a 3-16 funk.

"We know where we're at, and what has to happen in the second half, and that's us getting more consistent in all facets of the game," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "This thing's not going to happen right away as far as getting right back to where you want to be. It's a gradual thing, and that happens by playing good baseball."

Arizona, though, isn't fooled by the Giants' struggles.

"This is the team that's won two out of the last three World Series. They're still the king of the hill in this division," Diamondbacks infielder Cliff Pennington said. "You start here after the All-Star break kind of refreshed and ready to go. To play a good team right off the bat is what you want. Every division series is big.

"They're the top dog in this division. You've got to knock them off the hill. Just being ahead of them after the first half doesn't knock the team that won the World Series two out of the last three years out of it."

Improvement from Ian Kennedy (3-6, 5.42 ERA) would certainly help. The right-hander owns the staff's highest ERA, and he's 0-3 with a 6.58 ERA in seven starts since beating the Chicago Cubs on June 1.

Kennedy, though, is 5-0 with a 2.44 ERA in 10 starts against the Giants since 2011, going 3-0 with a 2.13 ERA in six games at San Francisco.

Paul Goldschmidt, the Diamondbacks' other All-Star, has also thrived there. The first baseman has a .349 average with five homers, 17 RBIs and 13 walks in 18 career visits.

The Giants are scheduled to turn to Chad Gaudin (3-1, 2.39), who is 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA in six starts since replacing the injured Ryan Vogelsong (broken right hand) in the rotation.

Gaudin's impressive stretch includes a 6-2 win at Arizona on June 9, when he allowed two runs with seven strikeouts in six innings.

He's held Goldschmidt hitless in four at_bats, while fanning him twice.

Buster Posey entered the break going 14 for 29 (.483) with eight RBIs in seven games. The All-Star catcher is 9 for 24 (.375) in his career versus Kennedy.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday's American League betting notes and tips

Check out our quick-hitting betting notes on Friday's American League games:

Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays (128, 8.5))

Hot pitching stat: Rays lefty David Price has a 1.08 ERA in his three starts since returning from the DL.

Hot batting stat: Jays slugger Jose Bautista is batting .353 with four homers in 34 career at-bats versus Price.

Weather: Roof could be closed due to a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms.

Key betting note: The Rays are 7-0 in Price's last seven road starts vs. Blue Jays.


New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox (-145, 9.5)

Cold pitching stat: Yanks starter Andy Pettitte owns a 5.35 ERA in his last six starts and has surrendered 49 hits in 37 innings during that span.

Hot batting stat: Red Sox veteran slugger David Ortiz is 21-for-56 versus Pettitte in his career.

Weather: Temperatures in the mid-80s and partly cloudy skies. Winds will blow out to left field at 13 mph.

Key betting note: The Yankees are 8-2 in the last 10 meetings in Boston.


Baltimore Orioles at Texas Rangers (-135, 9.5)

Hot pitching stat: Rangers starter Derek Holland is 3-0 with a 1.88 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 28 2-3 innings over his last four starts.

Hot batting stat: Orioles slugger Chris Davis' major league-leading 37 homers tied the AL record for the most before the All-Star break, set by Reggie Jackson in 1969.

Weather: Temperatures in the mid-80s and partly cloudy skies. Winds will blow in from right field at 7 mph.

Key betting note: The Rangers are 24-6 in Holland's last 30 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.


Detroit Tigers at Kansas City Royals (120, 8.5)

Hot pitching stat: Facing the Tigers for the first time with Kansas City, starter Ervin Santana was 4-1 with a 2.65 ERA in his last seven starts against them as a former member of the Los Angeles Angels.

Hot batting stat: Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera leads the majors in average (.365), RBIs (95) and is second in home runs (30). He's hit .397 in his last 16 games at Kansas City.

Weather: Temperatures in the low-90s and a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms. Winds will blow out to center field at 8 mph.

Key betting note: The under is 16-5-1 in the last 22 meetings in Kansas City.


Seattle Mariners at Houston Astros (111, 8.5)

Hot pitching stat: Mariners starter Joe Saunders went 0-4 with an 11.25 ERA in his first five road starts, but has since gone 3-1 with a 1.26 ERA in five starts away from Safeco Field.

Hot batting stat: The Mariners' 37 homers and .481 slugging percentage since June 20 are the best in the majors.

Weather: Retractable roof could be closed due to a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms.

Key betting note: The Mariners are 4-10 in the last 14 meetings.


Cleveland Indians at Minnesota Twins (105, 9)

Hot pitching stat: Indians starter Scott Kazmir surrendered three earned runs or less in each of his last five starts and beat Kansas City on Saturday while allowing two runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Hot batting stat: Twins 3B Jamey Carroll is 7-for-12 (.583) in his career versus Kazmir.

Weather: Temperatures in the low-80s and clear skies. Winds will blow out to center field at 11 mph.

Key betting note: The Twins are 0-4 in SP Mike Pelfrey's last four starts vs. a team with a winning record.


Oakland A's at Los Angeles Angels (-131, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Oakland has a 2.76 staff ERA in winning 12 of 17 since last losing a series at Seattle from June 21-23.

Hot batting stat: Angels starter Jered Weaver has thrown 18 straight scoreless innings versus Oakland.

Weather: Temperatures in the mid-70s and clear skies. Winds will blow out to right field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: The Athletics are 9-2 in SP A.J. Griffin's last 11 starts vs. American League West.


Interleague

Atlanta Braves at Chicago White Sox (115, 8.5)

Hot pitching stat: Braves starter Tim Hudson has posted back-to-back wins after failing to pick up a victory in his previous 10 starts.

Hot batting stat: Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman is hitting a hearty .433 with runners in scoring position.

Weather: Temperatures in the low-80s and a slight 40 percent chance of thunderstorms. Winds will blow out to left field at 14 mph.

Key betting note: The under is 12-3-1 in Chicago SP John Danks' last 16 starts vs. a team with a winning record