PHILADELPHIA at ATLANTA
PHI B MYERS -R vs ATL M HAMPTON -L
The Phillies and Braves open up a three game set in Atlanta. Tonight's matchup features Brett Myers of the Phillies versus Mike Hampton of the Braves. Myers (1-0, 0.44 ERA) was 11-11 with a 5.52 ERA in 32 games in 2004 and his 5.52 ERA last year was the third highest among National League starters with at least 150 innings pitched, and he allowed 13.5 base-runners per nine innings. However, he has been solid in his three starts so far, and each of his starts has been better than the previous one. He faced the Braves in his last outing, allowing four hits in eight shutout innings, but took a no-decision in an eventual 10th-inning 2-1 win. He is 2-1 with a 4.71 ERA in five starts versus Atlanta. Hampton (1-0, 0.82 ERA) was 13-9 with a 4.28 ERA in 29 starts last year, but he finished the season strong by going 12-2 in his last 16 starts. Overall, he allowed 86 runs on 198 hits with 15 homers, 56 walks and 87 strikeouts. He is 3-3 with a 3.27 ERA in his last nine starts versus the Phillies, but since the start of the 2004 season he has allowed just four runs in 37.2 innings pitched against Philadelphia, including 8.0 shutout innings on Sunday night and limiting the Phils to just three hits. Braves are the choice here.
TEXAS at NY YANKEES
TEX C YOUNG -R vs NYY K BROWN -R
The Rangers and Yankees play a weekend series in the Bronx. In tonight's opener, Texas' Chris Young faces Kevin Brown of New York. Young (1-1, 7.62 ERA) allowed six hits and four runs in 5.2 innings in his last start against Toronto for his first win of the season. He did not walk a batter and struck out a career-high six batters. He was 3-2 with a 4.71 ERA in seven games for the rangers last season. Young, a 6'10" 260-pounder was approached by the Sacramento Kings in the off-season about playing in the NBA, but he opted for the Major Leagues and signed a three-year, $1.5 million contract with the Rangers. Brown (0-1, 9.00 ERA) was 10-6 with a 4.09 ERA in 22 starts in 2004, which comes out to about 1.75 million dollars a win. He missed the first week of this season with a bad back and pitched poorly in his season debut, allowing six runs on nine hits in 6.0 innings in an 8-4 loss at Baltimore. He has not had the greatest success when pitching against the Rangers, going 1-2 with an 8.04 ERA in three starts and the Rangers have a .357 batting average against him. Go Texas.
I'm taking the Phillies & Braves Under the total in the matchup of Myers & Hampton. Atlanta had a bust out day from the plate, scoring 2 runs in the ninth yesterday for a 2-1 win at Washington. Andruw Jones is nearing an 0-30 slump and the Braves have been held to 3 runs or less in 6 straight games! This team will be a beast when the bats start making contact, but don't look for that to happen against Myers. The Philly RH has posted an 0.44 ERA in his 3 appearances this season. And, he's shut down the Braves in Atlanta over the last couple of seasons with a 3.5 ERA! His counterpart, Mike Hampton has been spectacular in 2005! Three games in the books, and the veteran lefty has a nasty 0.82 ERA! He'll face a Philly lineup that averages just 3 runs per game on the road against southpaws! Look for another low scoring Braves affair. I'm on the Under between Myers & Hampton!
With the way Greg Maddux and Mark Redman have been pitching, you would think that we would be riding the Pirates today, but Greg Maddux has dominated Pittsburgh unlike any other team. He's 12-1 lifetime with a 1.88 ERA and 1.087 WHIP, beating Redman just 5 short days against in Pittsburgh
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ASA
FOOTBALL
Orlando Under (94, )
This line is currently at 94 at the time of this update and we expect a tightly contested game here between these division rivals. Orlando is at home and only 1 game back from division leading Georgia. Orlando will certainly look to get a huge performance from their defense as the Predators will likely be without QB Hamilton after he separated his shoulder in last week's victory. Orlando will find if tough to score quickly behind backup QB Sanders and against a tough Georgia defense. On the other side of the ball, HC Gruden will certainly have the Predators ready for this huge game. Even with all of the injuries for Orlando, the home field and strong defense should keep this game tight.
*Chicago White Sox -140 over KANSAS CITY (8:05 EST)
Garcia goes for the White Sox tonight, and one thing that has become evident about these Sox is that their starting pitching is top-notch. Garcia has done very well since coming over from the Mariners and the White Sox have been red hot thus far in 2005. Neither of these pitchers have been stellar against the opposing teams here, but the Chicago is clearly the better all-around squad. Consider that the White Sox bullpen has an ERA of 2.20 on the road, while the Royals pen has been thrashed at home to the tune of an ERA above 5.00. One star on the White Sox here.
Atlanta has gone "under" in six straight, scoring a grand total of eight runs in those games. Philadelphia has gone "under" in five-of-eight but two of its "overs" happened at Coors Field. Myers and Hampton hooked up Sunday night in a game that finished up 2-1 in extra innings. Myers is working on an 0.44 ERA while Hampton's is 0.82
Northcoast Comp. Line-3* from Great Lakes on UNDER in Texas/Ny.
Major disappointment when I called, as someone other than Phil was doing the comp. phone;I want a refund-on the other hand with the tape only about 1/2 as long as it usually is when Phil does it, I will rescind my refund request.
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