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  • Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

    -- Matt Adams was in an 0-17 slump until he homered in the 14th and 16th inning, as St Louis beat the Reds 5-4 in 16 innings.

    -- Giants cut LB Kyle Bosworth Saturday, Dallas signed him Sunday. You think he has any knowledge that could help the Cowboys this Sunday?

    -- Red Sox pounded Detroit 20-4, hit 7+ homers for just 4th time in history at Fenway Park. David Ortiz also got his 2,000th career hit.

    -- In John Lackey's last nine starts combined, Red Sox scored 20 runs.

    -- Atlanta went 10-9 against the Mets this year, are 30-13 against rest of the NL East, as they jog to another division title.

    -- Bronx Bombers tried not to pay Alex Rodriguez, but they're 18-11 since he came back; they were 57-53 before he came back.


    *****

    Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Searching for the meaning of life.........

    13) Georgia’s Malcolm Mitchell blew out his knee giving his teammate a leaping chest bump after a TD Saturday at Clemson; wonder how many HS/college coaches around the country have banned the leaping chest bump? Somewhere, former Arizona Cardinal kicker Bill Gramatica (who ruined NFL career by doing same thing) is nodding his head sadly.

    12) I’m told that when you’re on jury duty, you have to turn in your cellphone while court is in session. Um, no thanks. When was last time I was awake for 3-4 hours straight without looking at my phone?

    11) You have to check out You Tube or plays of the week for the fantastic catch Josh Donaldson made Tuesday night on a foul ball by the tarp in Oakland. He catches the ball and disappears between the trap and the stands, with only his glove showing, with the ball in it. Tremendous play.

    10) Someone at ESPN thinks Virginia Cavaliers are going to have a good hoop team; they’re on three Big Mondays this year, the first one without a Big East game every Monday (FOX Sports1 has the Big East now).

    9) Jason Kidd bought Jay Z’s share of the Nets? How much $$ does Kidd have? What %age of the Nets did Jay Z own? Jay Z is an agent now, so he had to sell his part of the team due to conflict of interest rules.

    8) Three NFL stadiums with highest ticket prices on the secondary market? Patriots/Bears/Giants.

    7) Miami Dolphins’ owner Steven Ross donated $200M to the University of Michigan, to do whatever it is you do with $200M. Who has that kind of money laying around? Must be nice. Think the Dolphins’ scouts will get beneficial treatment at Michigan football practices from now on?

    6) Patriots’ first three games, they oppose these three QBs: EJ Manuel, Geno Smith, Josh Freeman; the first two make Freeman look like Dan Marino. New England plays at Atlanta/at Cincinnati in Weeks 4-5, but hard to believe they’re not jogging to another division title, with two of their three division rivals totally crippled at quarterback.

    5) Assistant basketball coach Ben Johnson left Washington State after nine years on the Paloose; he is a Bennett connection, having played at Green Bay. Just an odd time of year for a change like that to happen.

    4) Butch Jones is Tennessee's fouth football coach in last six years; he needs to have a talk with the genius who scheduled games at Oregon/at Florida on consecutive Saturdays later this month. Hard to win that way.

    3) Reds' TV announcers don't take it easy on Dusty Baker, thats for sure. Watched lot of their marathon with St Louis last night, game with lot of twists and turns-- they second-guessed the Reds' manager a lot.

    2) Five years ago, Clint Hurdle led the Rockies to the World Series; now he is leading the Pirates to their first playoff berth in 21 years. Let me think; someone who leads those teams to the playoffs is a damn good manager.

    1) Serious question I wish someone would ask Rex Ryan: How long a leash does Geno Smith have in Sunday's game? Is there a chance Matt Simms would get the nod to come in off the bench?
    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

    Comment


    • Thursday, September 5

      Game Score Status Pick Amount

      Seattle - 2:10 PM ET Kansas City -165 500
      Kansas City - Over 9 500

      Chi. White Sox - 7:05 PM ET Baltimore -155 500
      Baltimore - Under 8.5 500

      Boston - 7:05 PM ET Boston -103 500
      NY Yankees - Under 8.5 500

      St. Louis - 7:10 PM ET Cincinnati -140 500
      Cincinnati - Under 8 500

      Houston - 10:05 PM ET Houston +236 500 POD # 2 Oakland - Over 7.5 500

      Tampa Bay - 10:05 PM ET LA Angels +169 500 POD # 1
      LA Angels - Over 7.5 500

      Arizona - 10:15 PM ET San Francisco -107 500
      San Francisco - Under 7 500
      Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

      Comment


      • MLB
        Short Sheet

        Thursday, September 5

        National League

        St. Louis at Cincinnati, 7:10 ET
        Lynn: St. Louis 19-9 Over away off 3+ division games
        Cingrani: Cincinnati 21-2 SU at home off a loss

        Arizona at San Francisco, 10:15 ET
        Cahill: Arizona 14-22 SU off 4+ home games
        Vogelsong: 16-8 TSR with a total of 7 runs or less


        American League

        Seattle at Kansas City, 2:10 ET
        Saunders: Seattle 12-2 Over as a road underdog of +125 to +150
        Guthrie: 8-2 TSR in September

        Boston at NY Yankees, 7:05 ET MLB
        Peavy: Boston 17-40 SU in September
        Nova: 19-6 TSR as a favorite of -150 or less

        Chicago White Sox at Baltimore, 7:05 ET MLB
        Quintana: White Sox 15-30 SU off a loss by 2 runs or less
        Gonzalez: Baltimore 32-16 SU at home in night games

        Tampa Bay at LA Angels, 10:05 ET
        Price: 18-6 TSR away with a total of 7 to 8.5 runs
        Williams: 2-9 TSR in home games

        Houston at Oakland, 10:05 ET
        Peacock: Houston 9-31 SU off 3+ Overs
        Gray: Oakland 49-22 SU after winning 4 of their last 5 games
        Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

        Comment


        • Diamond Trends - Friday

          September 6, 2013

          SU TREND OF THE DAY:

          -- The Indians are 10-0 since June 14, 2005 as a 140+ favorite when they are off two wins in which they never trailed and it is the first game of a series for a net profit of $1000.

          OU TREND OF THE DAY:

          -- The Indians are 0-10-1 OU since May 21, 2007 as a 140+ favorite when they are off a win in which they scored in at most two separate innings and it is the first game of a series for a net profit of $1000 when playing the under.

          PITCHER TREND OF THE DAY:

          -- When Mike Leake starts the Reds are 12-0 since June 21, 2010 after he had a WHIP of at least 2 his last start and they lost for a net profit of $1277.

          MLB BIBLE ACTIVE TREND:

          -- The Padres are 10-0 (+$1,110) in database history when they allowed 13+ runs last game and scored between 2 and 11.

          ACTIVE TRENDS:

          -- The Braves are 12-0 since June 23, 2013 as a favorite when they are off a loss in which they never led for a net profit of $1200.

          -- The Twins are 0-11 since May 10, 2013 at home when they won the last time they faced this starting pitcher for a net profit of $1125 when playing against.
          Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

          Comment


          • Preview: Brewers (60-79) at Cubs (59-80)
            Game: 1
            Venue: Wrigley Field
            Date: September 06, 2013 2:20 PM EDT


            Thanks in part to their big advantage in head-to-head matchups, the Milwaukee Brewers hold a slight edge over the Chicago Cubs in the fight to stay out of the NL Central cellar.

            The Brewers should have a good chance to add to that success with Kyle Lohse on the mound.

            Lohse looks to lead Milwaukee to its ninth victory in 13 games in the season series Friday at Wrigley Field.

            After snapping a five-game losing streak with a 9-3 win over Pittsburgh on Wednesday, the Brewers (60-79) hope to avoid falling back to the bottom of the division as they open this three-game set with the Cubs (59-80).

            The Brewers are playing better on the road as of late, winning nine of 14. That's also been the case at Wrigley, where they've won four of six.

            They'll try to continue that trend behind Lohse (9-8, 3.32 ERA), who held the Angels to one run over six innings - despite giving up seven hits with just one strikeout - before the Milwaukee bullpen blew a two-run lead in Sunday's 5-3 loss at Miller Park.

            "He did not have his good command,' manager Ron Roenicke said. "I thought it was great, getting us to the sixth with just giving up one run. He really battled well.'

            The right-hander, however, has been on top of his game on most occasions recently. He's 8-2 with a 2.66 ERA over his last 17 starts, ranking in the NL top 10 in wins, ERA and innings pitched (105) since June 9.

            Lohse has also gone 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA in his last four outings versus the Cubs, most recently holding Chicago to five hits over six innings at Wrigley on July 29 before the Brewers scored five in the ninth for a 5-0 victory.

            Anthony Rizzo has gone 3 for 5 with a double when facing Lohse this season and is hitting .367 in his last eight versus Milwaukee.

            Teammate Dioner Navarro seeks his fifth straight multi-hit game overall, going 8 for 18 over his last four.

            The Cubs managed to avoid getting swept at home by the lowly Marlins on Wednesday when Donnie Murphy capped a four-run seventh inning with a two-run homer in a 9-7 victory.

            "I've come through in those situations before and for some reason I'm comfortable in `em,' said Murphy, who is 7 for 18 with four home runs in the seventh or later with his team ahead by one run, tied or with the tying run on base, at bat or on deck.

            Chris Rusin (2-3, 2.74) hasn't given up more than two earned runs in any of his last five starts, though he's 1-2 with a 1.86 ERA while receiving just seven runs of support over that span.

            "I think the biggest thing for him maturity-wise is making the pitches when he has to make them," manager Dale Sveum told the league's official website. "That's been the difference."

            The left-hander seeks his first win at home, where he's 0-3 with a 4.15 ERA in four starts.

            Rusin yielded one run and one hit over five innings in his only career start against the Brewers, but received no run support in a 5-2 loss at Miller Park on Aug. 21, 2012.

            Jean Segura is 5 for 12 with four extra-base hits at Wrigley this season. He missed Wednesday's win due to illness, but is expected to play Friday.
            Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

            Comment


            • Preview: White Sox (56-83) at Orioles (74-65)
              Game: 2
              Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
              Date: September 06, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


              Baltimore Orioles slugger Chris Davis is slumping during an eight-game home run drought and may be facing the wrong pitcher to break out against.

              The majors' home run leader is hitless against 11-game loser John Danks, who will try to help the visiting Chicago White Sox end a seven-game slide Friday night.

              Baltimore (74-65) totaled seven runs and struck out 19 times in consecutive losses in Cleveland before three players went deep in Thursday's 3-1 victory in the opener of this four-game set. Adam Jones, Brian Roberts and J.J. Hardy all homered as the Orioles began a stretch of eight straight at home.

              "It's definitely a good way to start the homestand," Hardy said. "Our backs are kind of against the wall and we need to win. We need to get on a streak, and this is a good start."

              It would help if Davis could add to his 47 homers, but he's 4 for 29 since he last went deep Aug. 28.

              Danks (4-11, 4.35 ERA) is enduring a miserable season with his highest ERA since finishing at 5.50 as a rookie in 2007. He entered the year after recovering from elbow surgery.

              The left-hander, however, has held Davis hitless in 11 at_bats while limiting Jones to a single in 27.

              Nick Markakis, benched Thursday due to a 6-for-36 slump, could be back in the lineup since he is 11 for 33 against Danks.

              Danks earned one of his few 2013 wins by limiting the Orioles to two runs over seven innings in a 5-2 victory July 2. He improved to 5-4 with a 4.08 ERA in 11 starts versus Baltimore.

              Orioles manager Buck Showalter is preaching the old mantra of one game at a time as his team tries to catch Tampa Bay for the AL's second wild card, with the Yankees and Cleveland also in contention.

              "They're all significant from here on out just because of the opportunities that are not there," Showalter said. "If we take care of business, it will be an interesting last week of the season. You'll usually like the outcome if you just try to stay in the moment. It's difficult to do. It takes a lot of discipline."

              Chicago (56-83) has dropped all seven games on this trip to fall to an AL-worst 24-49 on the road. The White Sox have totaled 22 runs while batting .211 in this slide, and their 524 runs are the league's lowest total.

              "We've played that type of game a lot this year and just couldn't score enough runs to win," said Paul Konerko, who went 0 for 4. "We try not to think about how other games have gone, but the end result is you can lump this in with the rest of them."

              Baltimore will start Scott Feldman (4-4, 4.18), who is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in two outings against the White Sox this year - one with the Orioles. Konerko, Dayan Viciedo, Conor Gillaspie and Alexei Ramirez all went 1 for 6 against him in those games.

              The right-hander owns a 5.82 ERA at Camden Yards compared to a 2.05 road mark for the Orioles.

              The season series is tied at two wins apiece, with each team scoring 11 runs.

              ---------------------------------------------------------

              SERIES AT A GLANCE

              GAME 1
              White Sox at Orioles
              Thu, Sep 5 Final 1 to 3
              Boxscores • Recaps

              GAME 2
              White Sox at Orioles
              Fri, Sep 6 - 7:05PM EDT

              GAME 3
              White Sox at Orioles
              Sat, Sep 7 - 1:05PM EDT

              GAME 4
              White Sox at Orioles
              Sun, Sep 8 - 1:35PM EDT
              Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

              Comment


              • Preview: Red Sox (85-57) at Yankees (75-65)
                Game: 2
                Venue: Yankee Stadium
                Date: September 06, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


                Andy Pettitte would have four straight wins for the New York Yankees had their bullpen not surrendered a lead in his last start.

                The Boston Red Sox made sure that wasn't their most recent blown lead by getting to Mariano Rivera in the opener of this four-game set in the Bronx.

                The wild card-chasing Yankees look to regroup Friday night behind Pettitte, who will face fellow left-hander Felix Doubront.

                New York (75-65) was one strike away from winning Thursday before Stephen Drew singled home the tying run off Rivera in the ninth inning. Shane Victorino added a go-ahead RBI single in the 10th for the Red Sox's third straight victory and 10th in 12 games, 9-8.

                "Just a character win, a team win,' Boston manager John Farrell said.

                The Yankees were on the verge of a dramatic victory, rallying from a 7-2 deficit with six runs in the seventh. Instead they remained 2 1/2 games behind Tampa Bay for the AL's second wild card.

                The frustration was evident when reliever Joba Chamberlain was ejected by first base umpire Joe West. Victorino was ruled to have checked his swing against Chamberlain right before the deciding hit.

                "It's frustrating because, you know what, I thought he went. But you have to be able to overcome things,' Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

                Pitching for the third straight day, Rivera suffered his sixth blown save. It's unlikely he will be available Friday.

                "We just blew it,' Rivera said.

                The Yankees will also be one reliever short in the bullpen since Girardi said right-hander Shawn Kelley is out until next week because of inflammation in his triceps.

                Pettitte (10-9, 4.01 ERA) will try to help New York recover after going 3-0 with a 1.05 ERA in his last four outings. He allowed two runs over six-plus innings Sunday when the Yankees allowed seven in the seventh inning of a 7-3 loss to Baltimore.

                The left-hander began his streak by yielding three unearned runs to earn a 10-3 win at Boston (85-57) on Aug. 16, improving to 2-1 with a 2.14 ERA in three starts against the Red Sox this year.

                He was opposed last month by Doubront (10-6, 3.89), who allowed seven runs over four innings to fall to 2-1 with a 4.41 ERA in three 2013 starts versus the Yankees.

                Doubront won his next two outings before lasting 3 2-3 innings and giving up four runs Sunday in a 7-6 victory over the White Sox.

                He owns good career numbers against numerous Yankees. Robinson Cano is 2 for 18 against him and Curtis Granderson, Derek Jeter, Mark Reynolds and Ichiro Suzuki are all 2 for 13.

                David Ortiz is a .371 regular-season hitter against Pettitte and Jacoby Ellsbury is at .333. Dustin Pedroia is a .229 hitter versus Pettitte and mired in a 6-for-32 slump.

                Ellsbury singled and recorded his major league-best 52nd steal in the 10th ahead of Victorino's hit. The Red Sox's speed was on display in the ninth when pinch runner Quintin Berry stole second before Drew drove him in.

                The Red Sox lead the Rays by 6 1/2 games in the AL East.

                --------------------------------------------------------

                SERIES AT A GLANCE

                GAME 1
                Red Sox at Yankees
                Thu, Sep 5 Final 9 to 8
                Boxscores • Recaps

                GAME 2
                Red Sox at Yankees
                Fri, Sep 6 - 7:05PM EDT

                GAME 3
                Red Sox at Yankees
                Sat, Sep 7 - 1:05PM EDT

                GAME 4
                Red Sox at Yankees
                Sun, Sep 8 - 1:05PM EDT
                Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                Comment


                • Preview: Mets (63-75) at Indians (74-65)
                  Game: 1
                  Venue: Progressive Field
                  Date: September 06, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


                  Scott Kazmir once was in Zack Wheeler's position - considered one of the top pitching prospects for the New York Mets and a big piece of the franchise's future.

                  Traded in a lopsided deal that prevented him from ever donning a Mets uniform, Kazmir gets his first chance to face the team that drafted him when the playoff-hopeful Cleveland Indians host Wheeler and New York on Friday night.

                  Struggling to get into postseason contention as the 2004 trade deadline approached, New York shipped Kazmir - the 15th overall pick two years earlier and one of baseball's top prospects - to Tampa Bay as part of the deal that landed right-hander Victor Zambrano.

                  The Mets ended up finishing 20 games below .500 that season, and Zambrano would be gone in 2006.

                  Kazmir (7-7, 4.36 ERA), meanwhile, has had a solid major league career that includes seven appearances in postseason games. He's never faced the Mets, but he'll do so Friday while looking to help Cleveland (74-65) bolster its playoff chances.

                  The left-hander, though, is 0-3 with a 7.11 ERA over his last four starts after allowing four runs in five innings of a 10-5 loss to Detroit on Saturday. He went 4-0 with a 1.93 ERA in his previous nine.

                  "I just wasn't hitting my spots," Kazmir said after seeing his record fall to .500. "The ball would be left up or out over the middle of the plate."

                  The Indians hope Kazmir can bounce back as they seek a fourth victory in five games following Wednesday's 6-4 win over Baltimore. Yan Gomes and Ryan Raburn each drove in two runs for Cleveland, which trails Detroit by 6 1/2 games for the AL Central lead and is chasing Tampa Bay for the second wild-card spot.

                  The team brought a chicken onto the field for batting practice, a stunt manager Terry Francona said is a sign of his club being loose despite the pressure of the playoff race.

                  "I think it's great," Francona said. "Guys are trying to have fun. That's the best way to be a good team."

                  The Mets (63-75) won't have to worry about playing beyond the regular season for a seventh straight year, though Wheeler has given them hope for a bright future.

                  Wheeler (7-3, 3.36) and injured phenom Matt Harvey are expected to be a formidable duo at the top of New York's rotation for years to come. Wheeler is 3-1 with a 2.51 ERA over his last five starts after beating Washington on Saturday, giving up two runs in 6 2-3 innings of an 11-3 win.

                  The 23-year-old rookie had only three strikeouts but threw 69 of his 99 pitches for strikes.

                  "He's not trying to strike people out," manager Terry Collins said. "With the great arm that he had, people were looking for that ... when he got up here. I think while he was here, he said, 'Hey, look, I don't have to. I can get outs if I pitch to contact, and stay in games longer.'"

                  The Mets ended a three-game skid with a 5-2 win over Atlanta on Wednesday, though they announced it is likely first baseman Ike Davis would miss the rest of the season due to a strained right oblique.

                  Lucas Duda had a homer among three hits in that contest and is 7 for 14 over his last four.

                  ---------------------------------------------------------
                  Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                  Comment


                  • Preview: Braves (85-54) at Phillies (63-77)
                    Game: 1
                    Venue: Citizens Bank Park
                    Date: September 06, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


                    The Atlanta Braves appear in no danger of losing their sizable NL East lead, and only a collapse for the ages - one even bigger than their 2011 debacle - would prevent them from securing a second straight postseason berth.

                    None of that, not even the team's recent run of eight victories in 10 games, prevents manager Fredi Gonzalez from feeling dejected from time to time.

                    "It's funny, the game of baseball, you're as good as the last game you played," Gonzalez said.

                    He'll likely be in a much better mood if Atlanta can bounce back from a rare defeat while beginning its seven-game road trip with a victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night.

                    The Braves (85-54) are up by 14 games over Washington in the East, and their first division title since 2005 seems inevitable. The size of the lead even seems to render their 2011 collapse irrelevant to their current situation.

                    Atlanta led the wild-card race by 10 1/2 games in late August of that year when its slide to eventual elimination from contention began, a lead that had been cut to 8 1/2 that Sept. 6.

                    They're coming off a 7-2 homestand, but Wednesday's 5-2 loss to the New York Mets left Gonzalez feeling a bit down as the team headed for Philadelphia.

                    "I've been on airplanes after going 9-1 and you just happened to lose that last game, and you feel terrible," Gonzalez said. "Same thing, we won two out of three (against the Mets), happened to lose the last one here and we feel terrible. But we've said our goal is to win series, and that's what we did. We won three of them (on the homestand)."

                    Atlanta also took two of three from the Phillies in their last series Aug. 12-14, and it has won five of the last six meetings. The Braves also got the best of Cliff Lee the last time they faced him, and he'll be on the mound again Friday.

                    Though Lee (11-6, 3.09 ERA) has gone 5-2 with a 1.73 ERA in his last eight starts against Atlanta, he allowed four runs - three earned - in five innings of a 4-1 loss Aug. 4.

                    The left-hander also didn't have his best stuff Saturday, tying his season high with three walks while allowing three runs - two earned - and nine hits in five innings of Philadelphia's 4-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

                    "He just seemed a little out of sync the whole start, throwing a lot of pitches, missing just off the plate,' interim manager Ryne Sandberg said. "He's a guy that usually pitches ahead in the count and goes after it and pounds the zone.'

                    The Phillies' 4.27 ERA ranks last in the NL, and the bullpen faltered Wednesday after Roy Halladay pitched six solid innings of a 3-2 loss to Washington.

                    Chase Utley had three hits and rookie Cesar Hernandez drove in both runs for the Phillies (63-77), losers of four of five. They'll face a Braves team that boasts a major league-best 3.19 ERA as Mike Minor takes the mound Friday.

                    Minor (13-5, 3.08) went 2-1 with a 3.46 ERA in four starts against Philadelphia in 2012, giving up two runs and two hits in six innings of an 8-2 win the last time he faced the Phillies on Sept. 22.

                    The left-hander, who has yet to pitch against Philadelphia this season, has gone 2-0 with a 5.16 ERA over his last four starts. He allowed four runs in seven innings of a 5-4, 11-inning win over Miami on Saturday.

                    Minor went 3-1 with a 1.74 ERA in his previous six outings for Atlanta, loser of four of six on the road.
                    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                    Comment


                    • Preview: Nationals (71-68) at Marlins (52-86)
                      Game: 1
                      Venue: Marlins Park
                      Date: September 06, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


                      Jose Fernandez likely only has two more chances to further his case for NL Rookie of the Year.

                      The Washington Nationals surely wish one of them didn't have to be against them.

                      Arguably the majors' top pitcher over the past two months, Fernandez could get in the way of Washington's last-ditch run at a playoff spot Friday night while inching closer to his innings limit with the Miami Marlins.

                      The Nationals (71-68) head to Miami facing a big uphill climb if they're to catch Cincinnati for the NL's second wild-card spot, but there are no teams in front of them.

                      "We don't think we're out of it yet," said manager Davey Johnson, whose club has baseball's third-best record over the past four weeks at 17-8.

                      A three-game set against a Marlins team with a major league-worst 9-21 record since Aug. 3 seems to play in Johnson's favor, but winning the opener won't be easy.

                      Fernandez (10-6, 2.33 ERA) has a major league-low 1.58 ERA since the start of July, striking out 89 in 74 innings. He yielded six runs in six starts during August, winning NL rookie of the month for the second straight time as he held opponents to a .158 average - best in baseball.

                      However, the 21-year-old right-hander is at 158 2-3 innings, and the Marlins recently reiterated that his limit is 170.

                      "It was kind of the unknown at the beginning of the season, how he would do and how he would perform," manager Mike Redmond told the team's official website. "We were looking at ways to protect him, based on how many innings he had gone before. That's the number we came up with."

                      Redmond pushed Fernandez's scheduled start from Wednesday to this game so his final two outings would come at home, where he's 7-0 with a 1.29 ERA. The Marlins have won his last nine starts in Miami.

                      One of those victories was his only outing against the Nationals, going six innings as he surrendered one run and four hits - all singles - in a 2-1, 10-inning win July 13.

                      Dan Haren (8-12, 5.02) threw six scoreless innings that day and will oppose Fernandez again Friday. Haren had been pitching well of late, going 4-0 with a 2.03 ERA in his previous six starts, before getting ripped for seven runs and nine hits in 2 2-3 innings of Saturday's 11-3 loss to the Mets.

                      "It just wasn't my night," said Haren, 1-4 in seven career starts against the Marlins despite a 2.98 ERA.

                      Miami (52-86) remains the worst offensive team in baseball but is hitting .306 in four games this month while averaging 6.0 runs.

                      While Christian Yelich is hitting .438 with two homers in his past eight games, Adeiny Hechavarria has four multihit efforts in his last seven and hit a grand slam in Wednesday's 9-7 loss to the Cubs.

                      Washington's Denard Span enters with a 17-game hitting streak, the longest active streak in baseball. Batting .406 during that run, Span has hit safely in all but one of 10 games versus Miami this year - the one Fernandez started.

                      The Nationals lead the season series 9-3 as Ian Desmond has hit .396 and Bryce Harper .372 with three homers. Harper should return after sitting out Wednesday's 3-2 win in Philadelphia due to an ailing hip.
                      Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                      Comment


                      • Preview: Dodgers (83-56) at Reds (79-62)
                        Game: 1
                        Venue: Great American Ball Park
                        Date: September 06, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


                        The Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers are in great position to make the playoffs, but the Reds would love to head to the postseason as NL Central champions.

                        To boost its hopes of claiming that title, Cincinnati could use an improved performance against the Dodgers and a better outing from Mike Leake in Friday night's series opener.

                        The Reds (79-62) own a seven-game advantage for the NL's final wild-card spot, but they're also within three games of Pittsburgh in their division after winning three of four over second-place St. Louis this week.

                        Cincinnati outscored the Cardinals 18-9 and posted a 1.67 ERA during the set, which concluded with a 6-2 victory for the Reds on Thursday.

                        "That was a big series right there," manager Dusty Baker said. "(A 5-4 loss in 16 innings Wednesday) still hurts, but that's OK. We've got a resilient team."

                        The Reds' next opponent has a sizable lead in the NL West, and the Dodgers helped themselves in that race by winning six straight before a 7-5 loss in Colorado on Wednesday. The big cushion has allowed Los Angeles (83-56) to give star rookie Yasiel Puig some time to rest an ailing knee.

                        Puig had a pinch-hit appearance Wednesday, but manager Don Mattingly wouldn't say if he would return to the lineup Friday.

                        Given his recent starts, Leake (11-6, 3.51 ERA) likely wouldn't mind seeing the .350 hitter on the bench. The right-hander is 1-2 with a 7.22 ERA in his last six starts and gave up six runs over 4 1-3 innings in a 7-4 loss in Colorado on Sunday.

                        "I still feel like I'm making pitches," Leake said. "Just two or three mistakes per game kind of got me."

                        Leake will try to end his slump while helping the Reds improve on their 3-7 record against the Dodgers since the beginning of last season. Los Angeles won three of four at home in the only other matchup this season July 25-28 and has won four of its last five games in Cincinnati.

                        Leake is 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA in three starts against Los Angeles. In this matchup, he'll pitch opposite Chris Capuano (4-7, 4.41), who is starting in place of an ailing Hyun-Jin Ryu.

                        Ryu is dealing with back stiffness and Capuano might prove a capable replacement as he has a 0.71 ERA in his last two starts against Cincinnati. He gave up three hits over 6 2-3 innings in a 1-0 victory July 28 and heads into this game after a strong performance against San Diego on Saturday.

                        Capuano allowed one run over seven innings but did not get a decision in a 2-1 victory, keeping him winless in his last five outings. The left-hander is competing with recently acquired Edinson Volquez for time in the rotation.

                        "There's always pressure in a sense that there's always someone ready to take your spot if you're not getting it done," Capuano told the team's official website. "The only pressure is me just trying keep up with these other guys and give us a chance to win."

                        Joey Votto is hitting .444 (8 for 18) against Capuano but is 4 for 37 (.108) in his last 10 games. Andre Ethier is 5 for 9 with two homers versus Leake.
                        Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

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                        • Preview: Tigers (81-59) at Royals (73-67)
                          Game: 1
                          Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
                          Date: September 06, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


                          The Detroit Tigers seem to be cruising to an AL Central title, and Anibal Sanchez is on the cusp of the matching a career-best winning streak.

                          Sanchez goes for a sixth straight victory Friday night when the Tigers open this three-game road series against the Kansas City Royals, the most recent team to defeat him.

                          Detroit (81-59) leads the division by 6 1/2 games on second-place Cleveland with 22 to play.

                          "It's all about winning games," third baseman Miguel Cabrera told the team's official website.

                          Sanchez (12-7, 2.68 ERA), the AL ERA leader, is doing his part to help the Tigers match a franchise record with a third straight trip to the postseason.

                          The right-hander is 5-0 with a 2.36 ERA over eight starts since taking a 1-0 loss at Kansas City (73-67) on July 19. He allowed one run with a season-high five walks in six innings.

                          Sanchez lost his only other outing there by the same score Aug. 29, 2012, yielding one run in seven innings.

                          Some help from the offense could be just what he needs to match his career high of six straight wins with the Florida Marlins from April 22-June 10, 2011.

                          Sanchez got plenty of support Saturday, when he allowed three runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 10-5 home win over the Indians.

                          That was the first of four games over a five-contest stretch without Cabrera, who has been hampered by an abdomen injury.

                          The Tigers could have used him in Wednesday's 20-4 loss at Boston, their third in four games. Manager Jim Leyland would like to get the reigning AL MVP and Triple Crown winner back in the lineup.

                          "He knows he can still be a force playing handicapped," Leyland told the team's official website. "And we've been very fortunate to play as well as we have, but that luck will run out at some point if he's not in there. We've been very fortunate, but I wouldn't keep counting on that.

                          "It's not to slight somebody else that's in the lineup. I mean, you can miss a good player. But when you're talking about the elite, they change the strategy."

                          Don Kelly has started Detroit's last two games without Cabrera, and he's 4 for 23 over his last 11 contests.

                          Cabrera, though, is 4 for 20 (.200) with two homers and three RBIs in six games at Kansas City this year. He had a .366 average with 10 homers and 40 RBIs over his first 47 games there.

                          The eight-time All-Star owns a .421 average (16 for 38) with six doubles and two homers versus Royals starter James Shields (10-8, 3.03).

                          The Royals are trying to remain a factor in the AL wild-card race, and they're looking to win for the 10th time in 13 tries. They may have gained an emotional lift Thursday, when they erased a five-run deficit before Mike Moustakas' walkoff homer cinched a 7-6,13-inning win over Seattle.

                          "Every game is crucial and extremely important," manager Ned Yost said. "We've seen our players do this the majority of the year. They don't believe if we're down by five we're out of it or we're going to lose the game."

                          That's also been the case with Shields on the mound. The right-hander is 4-0 with a 1.53 ERA over his last five starts, and that includes seven innings of a 3-0 victory at Detroit on Aug. 16.

                          Shields was superb again Sunday, matching a season high with nine strikeouts in seven innings of a 5-0 victory at Toronto.
                          Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

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                          • Preview: Blue Jays (64-76) at Twins (61-77)
                            Game: 1
                            Venue: Target Field
                            Date: September 06, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


                            The Minnesota Twins hope the success achieved on their recent road trip will provide them with enough momentum to end their long home slide.

                            They'll look to avoid an eighth consecutive defeat at Target Field on Friday night against the Toronto Blue Jays.

                            Though Minnesota (61-77) fell 6-5 at Houston on Wednesday, it took four of six against the Astros and Texas to win consecutive series for the first time since taking three straight July 12-24.

                            "That's not bad," manager Ron Gardenhire told the Twins' official website. "Any time you go on a road trip and you win more than you lose, that's good."

                            What would be better is if the Twins can end the seven-game home skid during which they've been outscored 41-13 and held to one run in each of the last four. Minnesota last dropped eight straight at home during a nine-game slide April 27-May 23, 2011.

                            Facing Toronto (64-76), winner of 32 of 42 against the Twins and 14 of 18 at Target Field, may make snapping that streak difficult.

                            Minnesota reached R.A. Dickey (11-12, 4.30 ERA) for six runs in seven innings of a 6-0 victory July 6, but the right-hander has allowed four runs over 14 1-3 innings to win back-to-back starts for the first time since June 26-July 1.

                            He yielded two runs in eight frames of a 4-2 victory over Kansas City on Saturday.

                            Despite losing 4-3 in 10 innings at Arizona on Wednesday, the Blue Jays have won seven of 10.

                            "They are doing a nice job, they're playing some pretty good baseball right now," manager John Gibbons told the Blue Jays' official website.

                            Toronto hopes to continue its solid play without slugger Jose Bautista, who is done for the season with a hip injury. Bautista hit .259 with 28 home runs and 73 RBIs in 118 games but has been on the disabled list since Aug. 21.

                            "Realistically, a week or so from now when he's ready to go and cranks it up to get back into shape, the season will be pretty much over, so it makes perfect sense to shut him down," Gibbons said.

                            Minnesota star Joe Mauer has been out since Aug. 20 with a concussion and it's uncertain when he'll return.

                            The Twins hand the ball to Mike Pelfrey (5-10, 4.86), who's gone 1-0 with a 2.88 ERA in his past four starts. He's allowed two runs in 12 innings over the latest two, but didn't get a decision in either as his teammates totaled a run each time in a pair of losses.

                            Pelfrey gave up one run and struck out seven in seven innings of a 2-1 defeat at Texas on Saturday.

                            Though the right-hander is 0-4 with a 5.67 ERA in his last 10 home starts, he gave up three hits in six innings when he opposed Dickey on July 6.

                            Toronto's Edwin Encarnacion has gone 10 for 23 with three doubles, three homers and six RBIs in his last seven games, but is 1 for 11 with a home run against Pelfrey.

                            Minnesota's Alex Presley is 7 for 18 with a home run and five RBIs in four games since he was acquired from Pittsburgh in the Justin Morneau deal.
                            Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

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                            • Preview: Pirates (81-58) at Cardinals (80-60)
                              Game: 1
                              Venue: Busch Stadium
                              Date: September 06, 2013 8:15 PM EDT


                              The Pittsburgh Pirates have more significant goals than securing their first winning season in two decades, and a victory in their next game would also help them move closer toward accomplishing one of those feats.

                              While trying for their 82nd win, the Pirates will seek to pad their NL Central lead by getting past red-hot Joe Kelly and the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night in the opener of the final series between the clubs this season.

                              Pittsburgh (81-58) has already stopped its streak of 20 consecutive losing seasons - the longest in North American professional sports history - but needs one more victory to clinch its first winning campaign since 1992.

                              That season included the franchise's most recent division title. The Pirates head into this series with a 1 1/2-game edge over St. Louis (80-60) and three-game advantage on Cincinnati in the Central.

                              "We are trying to win every day," center fielder Andrew McCutchen said. "Every game is important from the first to the last. So we don't treat it any differently from any other game. We go out every day to win. That is what we are going to do in St. Louis."

                              The Pirates have won 10 of 16 meetings this season and took two of three at home last weekend. A.J. Burnett (7-9, 3.09 ERA) won the middle game of that series Saturday, allowing one run over seven innings in a 7-1 victory.

                              "That's a pretty good lineup, so I'm just trying to keep the ball down, get ahead ... then expand the strike zone a bit," Burnett told the team's official website. "But you can't let down against that lineup, because that's when they get you."

                              Burnett is 3-0 with a 2.59 ERA in five starts against St. Louis this season but has a 6.10 ERA in two at Busch Stadium. He gave up five runs in a season-low 4 1-3 innings in a 6-5 loss there Aug. 15.

                              Burnett will likely need a better outing Friday as he'll be opposed by Kelly, who is 7-0 with a 2.16 ERA in 10 starts since joining the rotation July 6.

                              Kelly (7-3, 2.82) is 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA against the Pirates during that stretch, and he gave up one run over six innings in a 7-2 victory in Pittsburgh on Sunday.

                              Kelly's most recent victory is among only two in the last eight games for St. Louis, and the Cardinals enter this series after dropping three of four in Cincinnati. They're batting .185 with 17 runs during that 2-6 stretch and had five hits in a 6-2 loss Thursday.

                              "It's the time of the season," manager Mike Matheny said. "There are times when you don't hit. This has lasted a little longer than you'd like, but that could be a sign that we're ready to click and take off."

                              Allen Craig, who leads St. Louis with 97 RBIs, will likely miss this series because of an ailing foot. The Cardinals, though, caught a break Thursday when X-rays did not reveal a fracture.

                              Matt Carpenter will try to make up for Craig's absence by improving his .400 career average (8 for 20) against Burnett. The second baseman is batting .391 (9 for 23) in five games this month and .407 (11 for 27) in his last six matchups with Pittsburgh.

                              The recently acquired Marlon Byrd is batting .417 in his last seven games against St. Louis.
                              Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

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                              • Preview: Rangers (80-59) at Angels (65-74)
                                Game: 1
                                Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
                                Date: September 06, 2013 10:05 PM EDT


                                The Texas Rangers are alone atop the AL West.

                                A three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels may keep them there.

                                The Rangers will try to begin padding their slim division lead by going for a record winning streak against the Angels on Friday night.

                                Texas (80-59) leads the West by one-half game on second-place Oakland, despite losing two of three to the A's following Wednesday's 11-4 road defeat.

                                The tight race is reminiscent of last year, which ended with the Rangers getting swept in a three-game series that relegated them to the wild card.

                                "There are no breaks," second baseman Ian Kinsler told the team's official website. "You have to be ready to win every day. It doesn't matter how you go about it. You have to pitch well, score runs and play defense."

                                The Rangers don't seem to have much trouble with any of that against the Angels, winning 10 of 12 season. That includes a seven-game winning streak, matching their longest in the all-time series set against the California Angels from 1987-88.

                                Texas is hitting .323 with 10 homers while averaging 7.7 runs during the current streak.

                                Adrian Beltre has been a big contributor with a .408 average, four homers and 10 RBIs this year and is 13 for 25 with three homers and nine RBIs in the past six meetings.

                                Beltre may be in for another big performance since he's 11 for 30 (.367) with four doubles and one homer versus Angels starter and former teammate C.J. Wilson.

                                The Rangers will turn to Matt Garza (3-2, 4.04 ERA), who is looking to build on his latest performance. The right-hander allowed one run and three hits with nine strikeouts in seven innings while not getting a decision in a 2-1 win over Minnesota.

                                He had a 5.81 ERA over his previous four starts.

                                "I got back into a nice tempo and a nice rhythm," Garza told the team's official website. "I wasn't pitching bad, but I got back in rhythm and want to keep doing it every time out."

                                Facing the Angels may not help since he's 0-1 with a 5.45 ERA in six career starts.

                                Los Angeles salvaged a split of its four-game series against Tampa Bay with a 6-2 win Thursday but has lost 11 of 14 at home.

                                Turning to Wilson (14-6, 3.35) would seem to help since he's 6-0 with a 3.09 ERA over his last 10 starts. However, that includes his latest rough performance against Texas, giving up six runs and 11 hits in four innings of a 14-11 road loss July 30.

                                The left-hander, a member of the Rangers from 2005-11, is 0-2 with an 8.63 ERA in six starts against his former club.

                                Wilson enters this matching coming off a 5-3 win at Milwaukee, but he wasn't very sharp while allowing three runs in six innings.

                                "He made key pitches when he had to," manager Mike Scioscia said. "He kept us in the game and gave us a chance to win."

                                Josh Hamilton, a Ranger from 2008-12, is batting .339 over his last 16 games after getting two hits, two runs and one RBI on Thursday. He was 0 for 16 last month when the Angels were swept in a three-game home set by the Rangers.
                                Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

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