Monday 4/11/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pirates (4-2) at Tigers (3-1)

Game: 1
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: April 11, 2016 1:10 PM EDT

The weather is projected to be little better in Detroit on Monday when the Tigers open a home-and-home series with the Pittsburgh Pirates after a nasty weekend.

The wintry conditions in Detroit saw Comerica Park host the coldest game in the stadium's history on Saturday and then forced a postponement with the New York Yankees on Sunday. More rain is expected Monday morning but temperatures could reach the mid-50s by the afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

Now Justin Verlander, who was scheduled to start Sunday, will get to face another NL team, something he's enjoyed quite a bit throughout his career. Since 2006, he is 25-3 against the Senior Circuit for an .893 winning percentage - the best in interleague play.

The former AL Cy Young Award winner flirted with a no-hitter in his season debut on Tuesday, as he held Miami hitless through the first 5 1-3 innings before allowing three runs in the sixth.

Verlander allowed three runs and three hits over six innings in an 8-7 11-inning win.

"Obviously, he was lights out early," catcher James McCann said. "Even the inning he gave up the runs, he made some good pitches. They made some good swings."

One of Verlander's interleague losses came at the hands of the Pirates, but he's still 4-1 lifetime against them with a 3.00 ERA in six starts. Verlander, who has also held Pittsburgh to a .196 average over 39 innings, allowed three runs in six-plus innings against the Pirates last June.

Detroit had won its first three games before Saturday's 8-4 setback, but is still hitting .300 with an .812 OPS. Jose Iglesias (7 for 16), Ian Kinsler (8 for 19) and J.D. Martinez (5 for 16) have hit safely in each game.

Pittsburgh had won its first four games before dropping the final two in a three-game series with Cincinnati, falling 2-1 on Sunday.

The Pirates had plenty of opportunities in the finale, but managed just one hit in 14 at-bats with runners in scoring position.

"I don't think we were pressing," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "We'll go back and look at the tape to make sure guys weren't rolling over, trying to do too much."

Getting the call for the Pirates on Monday will be left-hander Jonathon Niese, who surrendered five runs and five hits over five innings in Tuesday's 6-5 11-inning win over St. Louis.

Niese has faced the Tigers just once in his career, a 14-6 loss opposite Verlander on June 22, 2010. Pitching for the New York Mets, Niese gave up six runs in 4 2-3 innings. He is 5-7 with a 4.83 ERA in 18 career interleague starts and is winless in eight games versus the AL since April 12, 2013.

The Tigers haven't seen much of Niese, but Justin Upton, who is 4 for 19 with three doubles on the season, has hit .346 in 26 at-bats against him.

Pittsburgh was 8-2 on the road against the AL last season, including a three-game sweep at Comerica.

Following the two games in Detroit, the series will shift to Pittsburgh's PNC Park for a pair.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Orioles (5-0) at Red Sox (3-2)

Game: 1
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: April 11, 2016 2:05 PM EDT

Boston Red Sox fans will get an extra treat when they show up to the home opener at Fenway Park.

No, not a World Series ring ceremony like the ballclub has held three times since 2005. Last year's team finished last, which the franchise is doing everything it can to forget.

But because of a couple of rainouts during the season-opening series in Cleveland, the Red Sox will send prime free-agent acquisition David Price to the mound on Monday for Boston's first home game of the 2015 season against the unbeaten Baltimore Orioles.

Certainly the $217 million that Boston agreed to pay had plenty to do with Price choosing to wear a Red Sox uniform for the next seven seasons. The opportunity to pitch at Fenway on a regular basis probably did, too.

Price has been brilliant at the majors' oldest ballpark, going 6-1 with a 1.95 ERA in 11 career regular-season starts there. He beat Cleveland 6-2 in his Red Sox debut Tuesday after giving up two runs and striking out 10 through six innings.

'I know opening day in Fenway is like a holiday,' Price said. 'So for me to be able to get that game, I'm definitely very excited to have it.'

After rainouts pushed the opener back a day and then caused the postponement of the scheduled series finale Thursday, the team decided to push Price back to Monday rather than skip Steven Wright in the rotation. Price originally was slated to start Saturday against Toronto, the team he left after helping it reach the AL championships series last season.

The left-hander is 13-5 with a 3.19 ERA in 25 career starts with at least six days between outings.

'It will be a treat for our fans to see David pitch on opening day in Boston,' manager John Farrell said.

That won't be the only excitement at Fenway Park on Monday.

With David Ortiz set to retire after 2016, the Red Sox are planning a season-long tribute to the three-time World Series champion - the only remaining member of the drought-busting 2004 championship team. Ortiz's teammates said they would like to send him out as a winner, and Farrell said he doesn't want the farewell tour to become a distraction.

'David always draws the cameras or draws the attention or the spotlight wherever he goes. We've been accustomed to that for quite some time,' the manager said. 'Hopefully, we're going to get a year full of that excitement as he closes things out.'

The game will also be Farrell's first at Fenway since August, when he was diagnosed with cancer. He took the last six weeks off for treatment but was declared cancer-free by doctors over the winter.

'I think the best thing is that the conversations I have with (the media), it's about what's going on between the lines," Farrell said. "I haven't forgotten what I've gone through, but (being able to) focus on our players and on the game, that's rewarding.'

He's also hoping the Red Sox (3-2) can get back on track offensively. They scored at least six times in their first four games, then lost 3-0 to the Blue Jays on Sunday.

Hanley Ramirez had three of Boston's seven hits and is 10 for 22 with a homer, triple and double. He's batted .423 with three homers in his last eight against Baltimore (5-0), the last undefeated team in baseball after beating Tampa Bay 5-3 on Sunday.

Manny Machado improved to 9 for 21 to start the season with four hits, including a two-run homer. Joey Rickard had an RBI starting in place of Adam Jones, who has missed the last three with soreness in his ribcage.

It's unclear if Jones will be available as the Orioles look to snap a four-game skid at Fenway. They were shut out in the last three and hope to provide more offense for Yovani Gallardo, who had a decent Baltimore debut.

Gallardo gave up one run and two hits in five innings of Wednesday's 4-2 win over Minnesota after not pitching well in spring training.

"He's a guy who's going to add and subtract," manager Buck Showalter said. "I think he's a guy who's kind of evolved and knows who he is and who he isn't, a guy who keeps you in the ballgame and gives you a chance to win. On a given night, he's carrying a little extra stuff, get a little deeper in the game."

The right-hander has gone at least five innings in each of his last three starts against the Red Sox and gave up one earned run in a 7-4 win the last time he faced them May 29. Ortiz (4 for 7, homer) and Dustin Pedroia (5 for 12, homer) have had success against Gallardo.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Padres (2-4) at Phillies (2-4)

Game: 1
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: April 11, 2016 3:05 PM EDT

It didn't seem likely a couple days ago, but the Philadelphia Phillies will have momentum on their side Monday when they face the San Diego Padres in their home opener.

After losing their first four games, the Phillies rebounded by taking two straight from the defending NL champion New York Mets. Odubel Herrera homered in Sunday's 5-2 win and Jeremy Hellickson worked into the sixth inning.

Philadelphia (2-4) also got 2 2-3 scoreless innings from relievers James Russell, Hector Neris and Jeanmar Gomez. That was an encouraging sign after the team's relievers posted a 9.88 ERA in the first five games.

'They were outstanding,' Hellickson said. 'We said it the first couple games, when they struggled, that they'd bounce back.'

Right-hander Aaron Nola knows all about the bullpen's early struggles. He was in line for a victory at Cincinnati on Wednesday after allowing one run and four hits over seven innings while striking out eight before Dalier Hinojsa surrendered a pair of runs in the ninth.

"I felt like I had command of all of my pitches," Nola said. "I was getting ahead of a lot of guys, which really made a difference."

The right-hander has no decisions in his last three starts despite a 0.95 ERA.

Nola is 2-0 with a 2.77 ERA in two starts against the Padres, limiting them to one run over seven innings in a 7-1 victory at home Aug. 28.

San Diego (2-4) counters with Andrew Cashner, who left himself plenty of room for improvement after a disappointing season debut. He was tagged for five runs and six hits over four innings of a 7-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday.

Cashner is 1-5 with a 5.51 ERA in his last 11 road starts, but is 2-1 with a 1.96 ERA in three career starts against the Phillies.

After they were shut out in three straight home games by the Dodgers, the Padres rebounded to score 29 runs in consecutive wins at Colorado. They were denied the sweep, however, with Sunday's 6-3 loss.

"Winning a series here was a big boost, especially after how we started theseason," manager Andy Green said. "It was good for our team to take the series."

Matt Kemp, who went 7 for 15 with three homers and 10 RBIs in the Colorado series, should be happy the next four games are in Philadelphia. He's a lifetime .362 hitter at Citizens Bank Park with 14 RBIs in 18 games.

The Padres put third baseman Yangervis Solarte on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring suffered Friday.

"It's frustrating, it's early in the season, I'm trying to help the team, trying to play well," Solarte told the team's official website through an interpreter. "It's frustrating, but I can't do anything about it. Especially having gotten an opportunity this year, I think anyone would be frustrated."

The Phillies won five of six against the Padres last season, with their starters posting a 2.39 ERA.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: White Sox (4-2) at Twins (0-6)

Game: 1
Venue: Target Field
Date: April 11, 2016 4:10 PM EDT

Jose Quintana has emerged as one of the Chicago White Sox's most reliable pitchers while ranking among baseball's top 15 in innings pitched and quality starts over the last three seasons.

Offensive support hasn't always been there, though.

Thanks to a rainout, Quintana will be well-rested after a solid season debut when he takes the mound Monday against the winless Minnesota Twins in their home opener.

The 27-year-old Quintana has thrown at least 200 innings in each of the last three years and has 63 quality starts in that span. He hasn't won more than nine games in any of his four seasons, though, with the White Sox (4-2) losing 28 times when he's allowed two earned runs or fewer as a starter in his career.

Quintana allowed two runs and struck out seven in 5 2-3 innings and left with a two-run lead Tuesday at Oakland, but the bullpen surrendered the advantage before Jimmy Rollins' homer in the ninth gave Chicago a 5-4 victory.

"The most important thing here is taking the W," Quintana said. "That's part of the game. It happens sometimes. We won the game, that's most important."

The White Sox have lost four times when Quintana allowed fewer than three earned runs against the Twins. All of those defeats have come over his last nine starts against them, a span during which he's given up two earned runs or fewer and gone at least six innings eight times.

Quintana has a 3.10 ERA in 44 career starts on five days' rest, which he'll get after Chicago's series finale with Cleveland on Sunday was postponed. Adam Eaton wasn't going to play in that contest after being placed on the paternity list following the birth of his first child, but manager Robin Ventura said he expected Eaton to make the trip to Minnesota.

That's good news for the White Sox, who have scored at least four runs in four of their first six with Eaton going 9 for 20 with a double and a triple in five games.

Chicago hasn't had much success against Kyle Gibson, though. The right-hander is 4-0 with a 2.13 ERA in six career starts against the White Sox and scattered five hits over 7 2-3 innings to beat them 7-0 the last time he faced them Sept. 13.

Melky Cabrera is 4 for 10 with two walks over his last three but is hitless in 14 at-bats against Gibson, who hopes another start against Chicago can help him bounce back.

Gibson labored through five innings Wednesday, giving up four runs while walking five and throwing 105 pitches in a 4-2 loss to Baltimore.

'My curveball was just all right and my slider wasn't very good at all,' Gibson said. 'It was a battle for five innings for really having only two pitches. It's a little frustrating. You never want to start the season like that."

The Twins (0-6) seemed poised to finally break through Sunday when they led Kansas City 3-1 heading into the ninth. The Royals got two in that frame off closer Glen Perkins, though, and won it when pinch-runner Terrance Gore scored on Trevor May's wild pitch in the 10th.

That spoiled fine individual performances, as Eduardo Nunez went 4 for 4, Joe Mauer added three hits and Brian Dozier homered.

"We're going home 0-6 and it stares at you right in the face," manager Paul Molitor said. "You're hoping with the way our season went last year, our spring training, that we'd get off to a better start."

Mauer and Dozier each have homered twice off Quintana with Mauer hitting .345 in their matchups.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Brewers (3-3) at Cardinals (3-3)

Game: 1
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: April 11, 2016 4:15 PM EDT

If the St. Louis Cardinals need motivation beyond the pomp and circumstance of the home opener, they'll be getting it from one of their on-the-mend Hall of Famers.

Speedster Lou Brock, whose left leg was amputated just below the knee in the offseason, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Monday's sold-out game against the Milwaukee Brewers.

The 76-year-old Brock has been practicing wearing a new prosthesis and supported by braces. When he learned an infection related to diabetes necessitated the operation, the former base stealing record holder had been pointing to the home opener.

Brock stole a National League-record 938 bases, including 118 in 1974, and was known as the Base Burglar. He also had 3,023 hits, becoming a star after a celebrated trade from the Cubs in 1964 for pitcher Ernie Broglio.

He was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes about 15 years ago and the procedure was done in late October.

The three-time defending NL Central champion Cardinals (3-3) have rebounded after a shaky start. After getting swept by the Pirates in the opening series, mustering one run in two of the losses, they're coming off a sweep of the rebuilding Braves.

St. Louis scored 31 runs in the series, marking the first time they've done that in a three-game stretch since Aug. 2-4, 2014.

'To just kind of play better is where we start,' manager Mike Matheny said.

They'll get the usual pampered treatment before their first appearance at Busch Stadium, arriving on a fleet of trucks in a convoy around the warning track.

'We can't wait. It's been a couple of months for a lot of us,' Matheny said. 'Our guys usually try to make it down to spring training early, and that usually does make for a longer start of the season when you start on the road.'

The Brewers (3-3) also are rebuilding but have been competitive since absorbing a 12-3 drubbing by the Giants in the opener. The bullpen contributed three scoreless innings to beat Houston on Sunday.

'Our patience at the plate, at least the quality of our at-bats, I'm really pleased with that,' manager Craig Counsell said. 'So that's probably the No. 1 thing that sticks out.'

They've had to be on top of their game from the start with a challenging schedule of San Francisco and Houston at home, then the Cardinals and Pittsburgh on the road.

For the second straight season, the Brewers are the opponent for the home opener at Busch.

'No matter what, we're going to have a tough schedule in the division we're in - one of the toughest divisions,' said second baseman Scooter Gennett, off to a surprising start from a power standpoint with three homers. 'The pitching that's in our division is pretty incredible.'

The Cardinals have overcome slow starts by Randall Grichuk, who is 1 for 15 with eight strikeouts, and Matt Holliday, 4 for 21. Rookies Aledmys Diaz and Jeremy Hazelbaker have been big contributors early.

Closer Trevor Rosenthal and fellow relievers Seung Hwan Oh, Jonathan Broxton, Kevin Siegrist and Matt Bowman have not allowed an earned run in 14 1/3 innings.

The Cardinals begin the day with a pep rally at Ballpark Village more than four hours prior to the first pitch, and they'll send out Michael Wacha to oppose Taylor Jungmann.

Wacha gave up five runs - four earned - and 10 hits in 4 1-3 innings of Tuesday's 6-5, 11-inning road loss to the Pirates It was an uncharacteristically short outing after he lasted fewer than five twice in 30 starts last season.

"That's just the way the game goes sometimes," Wacha said.

The right-hander has also run into trouble against the Brewers, posting a 5.87 ERA in three starts and one relief appearance.

Jungmann gave up two runs - one earned - and three hits in five innings of Milwaukee's 4-3 win over San Francisco on Wednesday, but he also walked two and tossed 80 pitches. He struggled with his command as a rookie last year, too, throwing at least 80 pitches while going fewer than seven innings in 16 of 21 starts.

The Cardinals roughed up the right-hander the only time they faced him in 2015. Jungmann allowed six runs and six hits - including a pair of homers - while walking three in five innings of a 7-3 loss Sept. 24.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Braves (0-5) at Nationals (3-1)

Game: 1
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: April 11, 2016 7:05 PM EDT

A sense of déjà vu likely is setting in for the Atlanta Braves. They've allowed runs at an alarming rate from the seventh inning on in each of their five games and stand as the NL's only winless team.

The Washington Nationals helped start that trend in the season's opening series, and they'll hand ace Max Scherzer the ball again Monday night in the opener of a four-game set in the nation's capital.

Atlanta has held a lead after six innings four times, only to watch it dissipate quickly. The latest setback came Sunday in the finale of a three-game series with St. Louis, when it was up 6-5 going into the eighth.

The Cardinals scored twice in that inning and tacked on five more in the ninth for a 12-7 win, spoiling Atlanta's best offensive performance of the season. The Braves have given up 21 runs past the sixth and are off to their worst start since dropping their first 10 in 1988.

They'll also have to find another arm to help the struggling bullpen after Dan Winkler suffered a fractured right elbow throwing a pitch in the seventh. He'll be out indefinitely after missing most of last season following Tommy John surgery the previous year.

'It's definitely a tough blow for us,' first baseman Freddie Freeman said.

Washington trailed by a run entering the ninth of last Monday's season opener at Atlanta before tying it in that frame and winning on David Murphy's RBI double in the 10th. After a scheduled day off, the Nationals (3-1) scored each of their runs in the seventh for a 3-1 victory Wednesday.

Scherzer was solid in the opener while striking out seven in seven innings, but he did give up solo homers to Freeman and Adonis Garcia prior to Washington's rally.

"I did a lot of things well," Scherzer said. "I made one mistake to Garcia. He hit an 0-2 slider out. That's what happens in this level. Overall, I was able to keep working ahead in the count and just keep forcing their hand. I was able to get some key outs in some big situations."

The right-hander will face the Braves again after Saturday's game against Miami was postponed because of cold weather, pushing his start back a day. Scherzer has struggled with such long rest, going 7-10 with a 3.55 ERA in 28 starts with at least six days between outings.

He'll oppose Bud Norris, who took the loss Wednesday but pitched seven solid innings in his first start since June 29. He had a 6.79 ERA in 11 starts before being released by Baltimore and pitched exclusively out of the bullpen in 20 games after signing with San Diego in August.

The right-hander, who signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal in the offseason, allowed one baserunner to reach second base and had a one-run lead through six before giving up three hits in his final inning.

"(Norris) pitched tremendous," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We didn't make a play (in the seventh), and they scored three runs. They should be all unearned runs, for me."

Washington also had a big seventh Sunday as Jayson Werth snapped an 0-for-13 start with an RBI single and Clint Robinson capped the inning with a two-run hit in a 4-2 victory over Miami.

'I'm sure it does a lot for (Werth),' Robinson said. 'It's always good to go out there and help your team win and contribute like that.'

Atlanta will be without center fielder Ender Inciarte after he was placed on the disabled list with a hamstring injury suffered Friday. Top outfield prospect Mallex Smith has been recalled from the minors.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Marlins (1-3) at Mets (2-3)

Game: 1
Venue: Citi Field
Date: April 11, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

The New York Mets' rotation proves itself an embarrassment of riches once you find Steven Matz at the tail end.

The defending NL champions are expecting big things out of the young left-hander, who will continue trying to fulfill that promise when he takes the Citi Field mound in the opener of a three-game series against the Miami Marlins on Monday night.

During a 2015 season in which the Mets faithful fawned over the fearsome top three of Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard, along came Matz and his solid performances in midsummer and September.

The 24-year-old grew up a Mets fan in Stony Brook on Long Island and became an instant fan favorite in his major league debut June 28. Not only did he toss 7 2-3 innings of two-run ball with six strikeouts, but he also went 3 for 3 at the plate and drove in four runs in a 7-2 win over Cincinnati.

The Citi Field chants went from "Let's go Mets" to "Let's go Matz" as he became the first in team history at any position to drive in four runs in his debut.

Matz made one more strong start in July before tearing a lat muscle, but he was recalled for the stretch run and finished 4-0 with a 2.27 ERA in six starts. His numbers took a dip over three postseason outings at 0-1 with a 3.68 ERA.

His pinpoint control resulted in 47 strikeouts against 14 walks over 50 1-3 innings in the regular season and playoffs, and he kept the ball in the yard with four home runs allowed - none over his final five starts.

He closed the spring with five hitless innings against the Chicago Cubs on April 2.

"This is definitely a good way to go into the season," Matz said after that outing. "My slider was working and it's definitely something I'm going to be using. I'm definitely getting to where I need to be."

His expected contributions gained extra emphasis Sunday when the club announced that deGrom would skip his scheduled start Wednesday with a sore muscle in his right side, though the Mets insist it's merely precautionary.

"In a perfect world with no injuries, we've got a nice-looking pitching staff," manager Terry Collins said.

The only one of Matz's regular-season starts New York (2-3) lost came against the Marlins (1-3) on Sept. 6. Matz went 5 1-3 innings and allowed two runs and four hits in his first outing since being recalled, but the bullpen blew a 3-2 lead in a 4-3 defeat.

The pitcher who opposed Matz in that game is the one he'll face Monday. Right-hander Jarred Cosart is looking to bounce back after making more headlines with his battle against vertigo than he did with his work on the hill during a rough 2015.

Cosart went 2-5 with a 4.52 ERA over 13 starts last year, but he's said he's overcome his issues, and a tweak to his delivery resulted in him allowing no runs over 9 2-3 innings in spring training, including 3 2-3 against the Mets on March 21.

"I'm excited with everything that's going on with the delivery and really trying to think out there," said Cosart, who tossed eight scoreless innings against New York on April 27, though closer Steve Cishek blew it in the ninth and Miami lost 3-1.

The Mets, who won 11 of 19 against the Marlins last season, dropped two of three to Philadelphia at home as Harvey fell to 0-2 with Sunday's 5-2 loss. Miami lost 4-2 in Washington to split a two-game set after Saturday's postponement due to cold weather.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Reds (5-1) at Cubs (5-1)

Game: 1
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: April 11, 2016 8:05 PM EDT

CHICAGO (AP) - The Chicago Cubs came into the season eyeing their first championship since 1908 after last season's run to the National League Championship Series.

They still are, even if they are missing one key player. And the atmosphere at Wrigley Field figures to be a charged one when the Cubs meet the Cincinnati Reds in their home opener Monday night.

Sure, losing Kyle Schwarber to a season-ending knee injury stings. But the Cubs believe they still have the talent to contend coming off a 97-win season and NLCS run.

'We have very good replacements,' manager Joe Maddon said. 'So it hurts, but there's nothing you can do about it. It's our new reality that we have to deal with right now and we're going to deal with it. I know it's big losing a guy like Schwarber, but I think we have plenty of others to go around right now.'

The Cubs believe they were built to withstand injuries, with a loaded roster and more players in the pipeline after years of overhauling their farm system. That, along with the hiring of Maddon last year and some big additions in trades and free agency, added up to a breakout season that ended with a sweep by the New York Mets.

On Monday, left-hander Jon Lester (1-0, 1.29 ERA) starts for Chicago with Brandon Finnegan (0-0, 3.00) pitching for Cincinnati.

'Whenever you go somewhere for opening day, there's going to be a certain amount of electricity, maybe more so there because of the expectations,' Reds manager Bryan Price said. 'It's good for our club, too. Those are fun environments to play in and manage in. A team that's expected to compete for a World Series against a team that's not. Our team will love that type of a challenge.'

Normally a catcher, the 23-year-old Schwarber was playing left field when he banged into center fielder Dexter Fowler chasing a drive by Arizona's Jean Segura on Thursday. The result was two torn ligaments in his left knee and his second season in the majors ending just as it was beginning.

While losing a young slugger who set a franchise record with five playoff homers as a rookie was not the way they wanted to start the season, the Cubs still believe they have the talent to contend. Their star-studded club has been led in the first week by slugger Anthony Rizzo, tied for second in the majors with 10 RBIs, and Fowler, who is 10 for 19 with seven runs scored.

'We've got a lot of depth,' shortstop Addison Russell said. 'We've got a lot of heavy hitters in our lineup. You get one guy out and then you have to get the next guy. And the next guy's not going to be an easy out. So the lineup's definitely long.'

The Cubs are off to a good start at 5-1 and tied for first place in the division with the surprising Reds, who completed a season-opening homestand with Sunday's 2-1 victory over Pittsburgh on Jay Bruce's RBI triple in the ninth inning. Cincinnati had baseball's second-worst record last season at 64-98.

"We know things aren't always going to go as smoothly as they have in the first week," Price told the Reds' official website. "However, if you can keep the right attitude and frame of mind, you can have more streaks like this."

Shortstop Eugenio Suarez is 10 for 20 over a five-game hitting streak and leads the majors with nine runs scored. Brandon Phillips was 5 for 10 in the weekend series versus the Pirates.

Bruce is 9 for 23 as he tries to reverse his woes last season against the Cubs, who held him to a .145 average with 23 strikeouts in 69 at-bats while taking 13 of 19 from the Reds.

Chicago won all four starts last year against Cincinnati by Lester, who went 1-0 with a 3.67 ERA. Phillips was 5 for 12 against him in those games and Billy Hamilton went 4 for 5 while the lefty-swinging Bruce was 2 for 11. Hamilton was second in the majors with 57 steals a season ago and figures to be a challenge for Lester, who struggles holding runners on first.

Finnegan has never faced the Cubs, with Jason Heyward the only Chicago hitter with an at-bat versus him.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Royals (4-1) at Astros (2-4)

Game: 1
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: April 11, 2016 8:10 PM EDT

In their run to the franchise's first World Series title in 30 years, the Kansas City Royals had a number of memorable wins. Perhaps the most lasting took place at Minute Maid Park.

The reigning champions return to Houston for a rematch of last season's AL division series Monday night looking to spoil the Astros' home opener in the first of a four-game set.

Kansas City's dream of a long-awaited championship was nearly derailed in Houston after the Astros won two of the first three games in the best-of-five ALDS and trailed 6-2 in Game 4 entering the eighth inning. The Royals, though, scored five times in the inning and Eric Hosmer added a two-run homer in the ninth to seal an improbable 9-6 victory.

They came from behind again in Game 5, erasing a two-run deficit by scoring the final seven runs in a 7-2 win to reach the ALCS.

After splitting a season-opening two-game series against the New York Mets, the Royals (4-1) swept three games from Minnesota. They rallied for the second time in the series Sunday, scoring twice in the ninth inning before pinch-runner Terrance Gore raced home on a wild pitch in the 10th for a 4-3 victory.

Including eight in the playoffs, Kansas City has 50 come-from-behind wins since the start of last season.

"I don't know if I'm impressed anymore," manager Ned Yost told the team's official website. "But it's just their fight and will to win. They just never give up. Doesn't matter what the situation is, they keep battling."

Kansas City's bullpen appears to be among baseball's best again this season, posting a 2.55 ERA in 17 2-3 innings. The relievers have allowed five runs, but Joakim Soria was responsible for three on opening day against the Mets.

Houston's bullpen, meanwhile, has played a big role in its slow start, compiling a 6.65 ERA while allowing seven homers in 23 innings.

Ace Dallas Keuchel struggled with his control in the first inning Sunday and home runs from Jose Altuve and Preston Tucker weren't enough in the Astros' 3-2 loss at Milwaukee.

Houston's pitchers have a 7.90 ERA during a 1-4 stretch, with no starter completing more than five innings.

The Astros (2-4) will try to win their fourth straight home opener Monday.

"I am looking forward to getting home and having a routine for a homestand," manager A.J. Hinch said. "This has been a fun start to the season, but also the end of spring training and transitioning to two exhibition games at home and then right back out on the road trip, it'll be nice to get home and get to our fans, play at our home ballpark and develop a little bit more of a routine."

Collin McHugh, who took the loss in Game 5 of the ALDS, began the trend of ugly performances from the starters with a dismal season debut at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. He recorded just one out and allowed six runs, three hits and two walks in a 16-6 loss.

'It's about as bad as you can draw it up,' McHugh said.

The right-hander limited the Royals to two runs over six innings in a 5-2 victory in Game 1 of the ALDS.

Chris Young gets the ball for Kansas City in its first road game of the season. He permitted two runs over five innings in Tuesday's 2-0 loss to the Mets.

The right-hander, who allowed a run in four innings of relief in Game 1 of the ALDS, is 4-1 with a 4.67 ERA in six career starts against Houston.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Angels (2-4) at Athletics (4-3)

Game: 1
Venue: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Date: April 11, 2016 10:05 PM EDT

Whether they've unlocked a secret to solving Sonny Gray is uncertain, the Los Angeles Angels have turned their fortune around in recent meetings with the right-hander.

Seeking their first back-to-back wins, the visiting Angels hope to extend that success Monday night when they face the ace in the series opener against the Oakland Athletics.

Yunel Escobar had two hits and Mike Trout drove in two runs in Sunday's 3-1 home win over Texas that snapped a two-game losing streak. The Angels (2-4), however, have gotten off to a slow start offensively with just 12 total runs, a .200 batting average and an AL-low eight extra-base hits.

Normally, that wouldn't bode well heading into a matchup with Gray, who went 14-7 with a 2.73 ERA en route to finishing third in the AL Cy Young Award voting last season.

Gray is 4-1 with a 2.57 ERA in his last eight home starts, but his only setback was a 9-4 loss to the Angels in September. Since going 5-1 with a 2.18 ERA in his first eight starts versus Los Angeles, he's given up 12 runs over 11 innings in the last two.

After he was scratched from his opening day start due to food poisoning, Gray (1-0, 1.29 ERA) shined in his 2016 debut by allowing one run and three hits despite walking four over seven innings of Wednesday's 2-1 home win over the Chicago White Sox.

"He's so polished, it's crazy," reliever Ryan Madson told the league's official website. "He reminds me of a right-handed Cliff Lee, for the way he pounds the zone where he's just real aggressive in the strike zone throughout the whole game, and that's tough to do as a starter."

Now Gray will try to lead the A's (4-3) to a fourth straight win after Coco Crisp's solo shot in the 10th inning on Sunday gave them a 2-1 road win and a three-game sweep at Seattle.

Albert Pujols went 5 for 15 versus Gray last season, including a two-run shot in September. Trout was 1 for 14 with five strikeouts and C.J. Cron was hitless in six at-bats.

Pujols and Cron have struggled so far, going a combined 5 for 46 (.109) over the first six games. Pujols, however, has hit .349 with five homers and 16 RBIs in his past 11 against the A's, while Trout has batted .396 with three home runs and 14 runs over his last 14.

The Angels hope to provide some run support for right-hander Nick Tropeano, who was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake to replace the injured Andrew Heaney in the rotation.

Tropeano, who went 3-2 with a 3.93 ERA in seven starts last season, has surrendered one run and eight hits while striking out 16 over 12 2-3 innings to earn the win in both outings with Oakland.

"You don't want to see anyone get injured, especially a friend or a teammate," Tropeano said. "I'm here just to contribute, help the team win."

He'll have to be cautious with Stephen Vogt, who has hit .429 with four extra-base hits and six RBIs in his last seven games against the Angels. Marcus Semien, who homered Sunday, is batting .364 with a home run during a six-game hitting streak in this series.

Oakland dropped 11 of 19 meetings last season, including five of nine at home.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers (3-4) at Mariners (2-4)

Game: 1
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: April 11, 2016 10:10 PM EDT

They were one of MLB's most injury-depleted clubs over the past two seasons, so the last thing the Texas Rangers wanted to see was a continuation of that trend early this year.

After top prospect Nomar Mazara provided reason for optimism in the wake of two more injuries, the visiting Rangers hope to end their win drought versus right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma on Monday night in their series opener against the Seattle Mariners.

Texas (3-4) set a big league record for number of players used in 2014 en route to a last-place finish in the AL West. The club then had to overcome the loss of No. 1 starter Yu Darvish and more than 1,400 player games to the disabled list last year to win the division.

So it was déjà vu on Sunday when Texas announced Shin-Soo Choo will miss at least four weeks due to a strained calf and Robinson Chirinos will be out at least 10 weeks because of a broken forearm. Choo has started 3 for 16, while Chirinos is 4 for 15 with a home run.

Choo's injury, however, is giving the Rangers a chance to get an up-close look at Mazara, their 2015 Minor League Player of the Year. The 20-year-old outfielder lived up to the hype in his debut, going 3 for 4 with a home run in Sunday's 3-1 road loss to the Los Angeles Angels.

'It was an incredible debut for a guy who's extremely young for the major league level, and an incredible weekend for him,' said manager Jeff Banister, whose club only had four other hits.

Now the Rangers could have a difficult time getting going offensively in their second look at Iwakuma over the past seven days. He's been outstanding against the Rangers, going 6-0 with a 2.87 ERA over his last eight starts and 8-1 with a 3.00 mark in the past 12.

Iwakuma (0-0, 3.60 ERA) allowed two runs over five innings but failed to pick up his seventh consecutive victory in this series in last Tuesday's 10-2 victory at Globe Life Park.

Elvis Andrus had two hits and an RBI off Iwakuma in that contest, but he's 8 for 36 (.222) lifetime in the matchup. Adrian Beltre has had the most success, batting .308 with three home runs in 39 career at-bats after going 1 for 3 when facing him last week.

Texas counters with right-hander Colby Lewis, who is 1-4 with a 5.00 ERA while allowing 10 home runs in his last seven starts versus Seattle (2-4). He received a no-decision after allowing three runs over six innings in last Wednesday's 9-5 loss to the Mariners.

Robinson Cano is 8 for 21 with a home run when facing Lewis (0-0, 4.50), while Franklin Gutierrez has gone 6 for 16 with two homers and Kyle Seager is 10 for 29 with two homers.

Cano is 2 for 12 with one extra-base hit since going deep four times in the season-opening series. The star slugger is batting .341 over an 11-game hitting streak against the Rangers.

Former Rangers Nelson Cruz and Leonys Martin each had two hits Sunday, but the Mariners went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position in a 2-1, 10-inning home loss to Oakland. They totaled four runs with a .155 average in dropping all three in the series.

'We're just not getting it done with the bats right now," manager Scott Servais said.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Game of the Day: Royals at Astros

Kansas City Royals at Houston Astros (-135, 9)

The reigning world champion Kansas City Royals take to the road for the first time this season when they begin a four-game set against the Houston Astros on Monday in a rematch of the 2015 American League Division Series. Kansas City began the defense of its championship with a successful five-game homestand that concluded with a three-game sweep against Minnesota - including a 10-inning victory on Sunday in which it rallied for two runs in the ninth before pinch-runner Terrance Gore scored on a wild pitch in the 10th.

Mike Moustakas hopes to continue to swing a hot bat on the road as he went 5-for-12 with two home runs versus the Twins after going hitless in his first eight at-bats of the season. Houston opens play at Minute Maid Park after a disappointing six-game road trip to start the season saw it lose two of three to both the New York Yankees and Milwaukee. Tyler White has kicked off his major-league career in superb fashion, going 10-for-18 with three homers and nine RBIs in his first five games before an 0-for-3 outing against the Brewers on Sunday. Collin McHugh looks to return to the form that made him a 19-game winner for Houston last season as he squares off against Chris Young, who has reached double digits in victories each of the last two years.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, ROOT (Houston)

LINE HISTORY: The Houston Astros opened as -135 favorites against the defending World Series champions. The total opened at 9.

INJURY REPORT:

Royals - RF J. Dyson (Out Monday, oblique), RP T. Collins (Out For Season, elbow).

Astros - DH E. Gattis (Out Monday, hernia), C M. Stassi (Out Monday, wrist).

WEATHER REPORT: With a chance of thunderstorms in the Houston area on Monday evening, it is likely that the roof of Minute Maid Park will be closed.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Chris Young (0-1, 3.60 ERA) vs. Astros RH Collin McHugh (0-1, 135.00)

Young accounted for Kansas City's lone loss thus far as he was outdueled by Mets powerhouse Noah Syndergaard on Tuesday. The 36-year-old native of Dallas worked five innings against his former team, allowing two runs on three hits and three walks while striking out four. Despite posting a 4.67 ERA in six career starts against Houston, Young is 4-1 while limiting the Astros to a .208 batting average.

McHugh has a season debut to forget on Wednesday as he was battered for six runs - five earned - by the New York Yankees. The 28-year-old from Illinois allowed three hits and walked two while retiring just one batter in the shortest start of his career. McHugh was outstanding in his only career regular-season outing against the Royals, scattering five hits over seven scoreless innings while striking out nine in a victory at Kansas City on May 27, 2014.

TRENDS:

* Royals are 4-0 in Young's last 4 road starts.
* Astros are 5-1 in their last 6 home games following a road trip of 7 or more days.
* Astros are 9-0 in McHughs last 9 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
* Under is 7-0 in Royals last 7 during game 1 of a series.
* Under is 6-0-1 in Astros last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Royals are 1-4 in the last 5 meetings in Houston.

CONSENSUS: Initial betting action was tilted slightly towards the favorite Astros (54 percent).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB

Monday's games

National League games

Padres @ Phillies
Cashner is 1-4, 6.06 in his last six starts.

Nola is 1-0, 2.32 in his last five starts (under 4-1).

Phillies are 2-4, outscored 28-18; San Diego is 2-4; they scored 29 runs in two wins, three in four losses- their last three games went over. Padres lost five of six games against the Phillies LY.

Brewers @ Cardinals
Jungmann is 0-3, 8.75 in his last six starts (over 5-2 in his last seven).

Wacha is 1-3, 8.74 in his last five starts (his last nine starts went over).

Milwaukee won three of its last four games. St Louis won its last three games, scoring 31 runs- four of its last five games went over the total. Brewers were 6-13 against the Redbirds last season.

Braves @ Nationals
Norris is 0-4, 6.10 in his last five starts- he gave up three runs in seven IP in a loss to Washington Wednesday.

Scherzer is 2-0, 1.13 in his last three starts (under 3-1-2 in last six).

Atlanta is 0-5 so far, outscored 38-17- their last three games went over. Washington won three of its first four games. Nationals won 16 of last 21 against the Braves.

Marlins @ Mets
Cosart is 1-1, 2.96 in his last five starts; this is his first '16 start- his last four starts on road went over the total.

Matz is 0-1, 3.98 in his last four starts (over 3-1).

Miami lost three of its last four games; three of the four went over. New York is 2-3 in its first five games- they scored five runs in three losses. Mets were 11-8 against Miami last season. .

Reds @ Cubs
Finnegan is 1-0, 2.25 in his last two starts (under 4-1 in his last five)

Lester is 2-4, 3.21 in his last six starts; under is 5-1-1 in his last seven.

Cincinnati, Cubs both won five of their first six games. Cubs were 13-6 against the Reds last season.


American League games

Orioles @ Red Sox
Gallardo is 3-0, 2.93 in his last three starts; under is 7-1-2 in his last ten.

Price is 3-2, 6.03 in his last six starts; over is 6-2-1 in his last nine.

Baltimore is 5-0, allowing 10 runs in five games. Boston is 3-2; four of its five games went over the total. Orioles were 11-8 against the Red Sox LY.

White Sox @ Twins
Quintana is 2-0, 1.94 in his last six starts; over is 7-3 in his last ten starts.

Gibson is 1-2, 5.85 in his last four starts; under is 6-3 in his last nine starts.

White Sox won four of first six games. Minnesota is 0-6 for first time in franchise history- they scored 12 runs in six games (under 6-0). Chicago was 6-13 against the Twins last season.

Royals @ Astros
Young is 1-1, 2.52 in his last five starts (under 3-2).

McHugh allowed six runs in 0.1 IP in his first '16 start; Astros are 7-3 in his last ten starts overall-- over is 6-3-1 in his last ten starts.

Royals won four of their first five games (under 5-0). Astros lost four of their last five games (over 4-1 last five). Houston was 6-5 vs Kansas City LY, but lost in six games to the Royals in ALDS.

Angels @ A's
Tropeano is 2-0, 2.81 in his last three starts; over is 4-0-1 in his last five.

Gray is 3-0, 4.76 in his last five starts; over is 6-2 in his last eight.

Angels lost four of their first six games (under 4-1 last five). Oakland won four of its last five games (under 5-0). A's were 8-11 against the Angels LY.

Rangers @ Mariners
Lewis is 0-1, 8.59 in his last three starts (over 5-0 in his last five).

Iwakuma is 2-1, 2.23 in his last five starts; under is 5-2 in his last seven.

Texas lost three of its last four games (under 3-1). Seattle lost its last three games, scoring total of four runs. Mariners are 14-8 in last 22 games aganst Texas.


Interleague

Pirates @ Tigers
Niese is 1-1, 4.24 in his last three starts.

Verlander is 2-0, 2.94 in his last five starts; over is 5-0-1 in his last six starts.

Pirates won four of their first six games (under 3-1 last four). Detroit won three of its first four games. .

Umpires- We'll start with umpires tomorrow

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Sharp Bettor

Sharp Bettor's Free Pick for Monday, April 11, 2016, NBA. Charlotte is a good team and heads to Boston, and the underdog is 26-9-1 ATS in the last 36 meetings.

Play Charlotte.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Roz Wins

Roz's Monday, April 11, 2016, Free NBA Pick: Charlotte at Boston.

Play Under the total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Dave Cokin

Bonus Play Monday

911 ORIOLES (Gallardo) at 912 RED SOX (Price) 2:05 PM

Take: UNDER 8.5 +100

David Price makes his eagerly anticipated home debut for the Red Sox today with the undefeated Baltimore Orioles providing the opposition. Yovani Gallardo will try to build on a decent first start for the Birds.

Fenway can be hell on lefties with the Green Monster looming, and the list of southpaws psyched out by that wall is endless. But Price has flourished in his past dealings at this park, and I think he’s going to be a guy who feeds off the adrenaline that’s always present at this ballpark. Price was very strong in his first game in a Boston uniform and figures to do well today. I also thought John Farrell made a terrific decision to sit Price on Sunday and give him an extra day off to work the home opener. Let’s face it. while the Orioles lineup is hardly a walk in the park, skipping Price against a Toronto team that annihilates lefties on a regular basis was probably pretty smart.

If you watched Yovani Gallardo’s first couple of spring outings, playing an Under with him on the mound might seem utterly stupid. Gallardo was terrible early on. But he finally got it together in his final spring ball start and then had an okay outing in his first official start for Baltimore. Gallardo is no longer a top of the rotation pitcher. He’s now a pitch to contact type and commanding his stuff is mandatory, as he cannot beat big league hitters with his pure stuff anymore.

The Red Sox offense was the nuts for their first four games, but they did get shut down on Sunday. I would not expect Gallardo to dominate them here, but I’m hopeful the veteran righty can get me a quality start. If so, I’ll be more than happy to rely on Price and the late inning Boston bullpen to contain the Orioles.

Two good offenses here, but I’m banking on Price to pitch well, while Gallardo avoids getting blown up. That being the case and with the opportunity to get this one at even money, I’ll go with the Orioles and Red Sox to stay Under the posted number.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Jim Feist

Jim Feist's Comp NBA Pick, Monday, April 11, 2016 10:05 PM ET

(717) SACRAMENTO KINGS VS (718) PHOENIX SUNS

Take: (718) PHOENIX SUNS

Reason: Your Bonus Play for Monday, April 11, 2016 is in the NBA scheduled contest between the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns. Nothing at stake here for either of these clubs, as both just playing out the final few games of the season. The Kings are coming off a home win over Oklahoma City, 114-112. The Kings are 3-4 S/U their last seven. They are 1-2 ATS the last three, but 7-2 ATS the last nine. Meanwhile, the Suns have won two straight with road wins at Houston and New Orleans. The Suns have also covered three straight and six of the last eight. Phoenix has covered one of the three vs Sacramento this season. However, that one cover was at home in a 118-99 win. Phoenix would like to finish on a positive note. Play the Suns here on Monday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Arthur Ralph Sports

Bonus Play: MON St. Louis Cardinals w/ Wacha -170

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Red Dog Sports

Nottingham Forest vs Brighton & Hove Albion

Bonus Play Draw +215

This match takes place in England.

Nottingham 1

B&H 1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Mike Lundin

Brewers vs Cardinals

5* MLB Free Pick St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are coming off a three-game sweep of the Braves and I like them here in the opener of a three-game set against Milwaukee.

The Brewers will send Taylor Jungmann (0-0, 1.80 ERA) to the mound and the 26-year-old might be coming off a solid home-outing against San Francisco, but he struggled on the road as a rookie last season going 4-6 with a 5.02 ERA in 12 starts.

The Cardinals will turn to Michael Wacha (0-0, 8.31) who'll be desperate to bounce back from an atrocious season-debut when he conceded five runs, four earned, on 10 hits in 4 1/3 frames against the Pirates. He was 7-3 behind a 3.18 ERA home at Busch last season and I expect nothing less from the right-hander this year.

Wacha is 2-0 in four career appearances against Milwaukee despite a 5.87 ERA, and he can most likely expect plenty of run-support today as well from teammates that have totaled 31 runs over the past three games.