Saturday 10/3/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Angels (84-76) at Rangers (87-73)

Game: 3
Venue: Globe Life Park in Arlington
Date: October 03, 2015 1:05 PM EDT

The final two games of the season have become about as precious as possible for the Los Angeles Angels, whose playoff fate continues to hang in the balance.

Though their destiny is not entirely in their hands, they have to feel good about the part they do control Saturday given the pitching matchup for the third game of this season-ending series with the host Texas Rangers.

The Angels (84-76) avoided what would have been a third straight loss for the first time since the end of August, claiming a 2-1 win Friday. Mike Trout led off the ninth with a triple against closer Shawn Tolleson and came around to score on Albert Pujols' single in the next at-bat.

Los Angeles pulled one game ahead of Minnesota, which lost 3-1 to Kansas City, but remained one game behind Houston (85-75) for the AL's second wild-card spot after the Astros won at Arizona.

Besides handling their own business, the Angels are going to need the Diamondbacks to defeat Houston at least once in the final two games.

Trout entered the night batting just .234 in close and late situations, defined as in the seventh inning or later with the hitter's team leading by one run, tied or with the tying run on base, at-bat or on deck.

"We can't lose anymore. Plain and simple," said Trout, who has played in only three playoff games since debuting in 2011. "We've got to fight to the end. We're going to down fighting, try to get to the postseason."

The Rangers (87-73) have already locked up a playoff berth, but are still one victory or one Houston loss away from winning their first AL West title in four years.

"We've got two games left and we're going to continue to play hard," manager Jeff Banister said. "These guys have done a tremendous job of responding to situations like this."

They haven't responded very well against Hector Santiago, who is 3-0 with a 1.48 ERA in five matchups this year. Adrian Beltre, who is batting .410 with 27 RBIs over his last 21 games despite an 0-for-3 night Friday, is just 1 for 11 against Santiago in 2015.

Santiago (9-9, 3.52 ERA) needs to break out of his prolonged slump overall, however, having gone 2-5 with a 5.68 ERA in 13 starts since winning his first outing following the All-Star break on July 20. He has averaged 5.0 walks per nine innings in that span compared to 2.9 in his first 18 starts when he went 7-4 with a 2.38 ERA.

He gave up three earned runs over 5 2-3 innings in the Angels' 5-4 win against Oakland on Monday.

Conversely, Colby Lewis (17-9, 4.53) has been terrible of late against the Angels, going 1-7 with a 9.64 ERA in his last eight meetings. The right-hander gave up six earned runs and 10 hits over five-plus innings in a 7-0 road defeat Sept. 6.

Trout is 10 for 23 with four home runs against him since the start of 2014, while Pujols has three homers in 22 at-bats in the same span.

Though Lewis is in position to increase his already career-best win total, he's coming off a tough start Monday, surrendering six runs over 4 2-3 innings in a 7-4 loss to Detroit. It was his shortest outing since being tagged for 10 runs in four-plus innings in a loss to the Angels on July 5.

Rougned Odor could be the Rangers' key to getting to Santiago. Odor is just 3 for 27 over his last eight games, but 8 for 15 with three doubles against the Angels' left-hander.

It's unclear if Tolleson will be available to pitch as he's worked the ninth inning each of the last four days and has never thrown on five straight days in his career.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rockies (67-93) at Giants (83-77)

Game: 2
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: October 03, 2015 4:05 PM EDT

Nolan Arenado enters Saturday as the NL's leader in homers, but that could change by the time the Colorado Rockies take the field.

Carlos Gonzalez also has an opportunity to alter the rankings.

Arenado and Gonzalez continue to vie for the league's home run crown as the Rockies face the San Francisco Giants.

Arenado's 42 homers are one more than Washington's Bryce Harper and two ahead of Gonzalez. The Rockies sluggers are trying to become the club's first home run champion since Dante Bichette, Andres Galarraga and Larry Walker went back-to-back-to-back from 1995-97.

Harper could impact the race before the Rockies (67-93) and Giants (83-77) take the field since the Nationals have a day-night doubleheader Saturday after being rained out Friday night.

Arenado hit a solo shot before adding a two-run double in Friday's 9-3 win at San Francisco.

He's hitting .338 with 10 homers and 24 RBIs in 17 season meetings with the Giants.

"He's killed us," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said of Arenado, who leads the majors with 130 RBIs. "Just look at his numbers and you know he kills a lot of people. For some reason, we make a lot of mistakes against him."

That's also true at AT&T Park, where Arenado has connected for six homers in seven games this year for his highest career total at any visiting venue.

"Whenever I come to San Fran I guess I get a little more pumped up to come knowing that they're the defending world champs," Arenado said. "The fans are always good, it's always packed. I love that atmosphere and I love being in it."

Gonzalez hasn't homered in nine straight games at San Francisco, batting .237 with two RBIs over that stretch.

San Francisco has dropped three of four games and turns to Jake Peavy (7-6, 3.66 ERA), who's 4-0 with a 2.68 ERA over his last seven starts. The right-hander is also 5-0 with a 2.86 ERA over his last seven home games.

He's been superb in his last four starts overall, going 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA. Peavy reached the seventh for the third time over that stretch Monday, allowing one run and three hits in seven innings of a 3-2 win in 12 over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He's 2-1 with a 4.74 ERA in his last four starts against the Rockies, allowing three runs in 5 2-3 innings of a 7-3 win at Colorado on Sept. 5.

Peavy has had a tough time with Arenado, who is 4 for 9 with a homer off him. Gonzalez, though, is 0 for 5.

The Rockies will counter with Chris Rusin (6-9, 5.37), who is facing the Giants for the first time since tossing a six-hitter in an 11-3 home victory Sept. 3. He has no record in two starts at San Francisco, allowing five runs - two earned - in 13 1-3 innings.

The left-hander is 0-6 with a 6.61 ERA in nine road starts since winning at Philadelphia on May 31.

That doesn't bode well for Rusin, who has struggled greatly in four starts since beating the Giants, going 1-2 with an 8.84 ERA. He got that victory in Sunday's 12-5 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, despite surrendering four runs in 5 1-3 innings.

"It's been the best worst year of my life," Rusin told MLB's official website. "I have those really, really bad games and some really, really good games. I've just got to work on keeping consistent, not being a roller coaster."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Marlins (69-90) at Phillies (62-97)

Game: 2
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: October 03, 2015 7:35 PM EDT

If the Philadelphia Phillies can keep their win streak going, they'll also avoid a dubious distinction.

Aaron Harang will try to help take away any possibility of the Phillies reaching 100 losses with another respectable performance against the Miami Marlins in Saturday's opener to a doubleheader.

Philadelphia (62-97) needs one more win to avoid its first 100-loss season since 1961. It didn't seem like the Phillies would have a chance to do that until their current four-game win streak, which included a three-game sweep of the NL East champion New York Mets.

Rookie Jerad Eickhoff fanned 10 over seven innings in Thursday's 3-0 win but rain washed away their chance at another victory Friday against Miami (69-90).

"It'll be nice if we can eliminate the 2015 team from that (100-loss) milestone," first baseman Darin Ruf said. "We're just trying to go out and play hard and win some games. The pitching staff did a great job this week, and if they can continue to do that, we'll keep under 100."

The Phillies have a 2.24 ERA in their last 12 games, with their starters posting a 2.21 mark, and Harang (6-15, 4.86 ERA) has contributed by going 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA in his last two.

The first of those outings was a 6-2 victory in Miami on Sept. 22 in which he allowed two runs in seven innings while ending an eight-game winless stretch. Harang is 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA in his two matchups with the Marlins in 2015.

The veteran right-hander, though, also made those starts in Miami. He's 1-7 with a 6.75 ERA in his last 10 outings at Citizens Bank Park.

Harang will face a Marlins team that's dropped six straight on the road after enduring a three-game sweep to Tampa Bay this week. Miami was also swept in three games in its most recent visit to Philadelphia from July 17-19.

Tom Koehler (11-14, 4.00) will try to set a different tone for this series by earning his fourth win in five starts. The right-hander gave up four runs in 6 2-3 innings Sunday against Atlanta but got enough support for a 9-5 victory.

Koehler has gotten a combined four runs of support while going 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA in three starts against the Phillies this season.

Justin Nicolino (4-4, 4.16) will try to build on his strong performance in a 6-2 win over Atlanta last Saturday when he starts the finale for Miami. The rookie left-hander yielded one run and two hits in seven innings after going 0-2 with an 8.44 ERA in his prior three starts.

"Just a tremendous effort by that young man to give us seven strong like he did. He made quality pitch after quality pitch," manager Dan Jennings told MLB's official website.

Nicolino gave up seven runs in 5 2-3 innings in his latest road outing, a 13-3 drubbing to Washington on Sept. 20. He fared better in his only start against Philadelphia on Aug. 22, giving up two runs in 7 2-3 innings in a 4-2 loss.

The Phillies' Alec Asher (0-5, 9.00) will get his last chance this season to earn his first win in his seventh career start. The right-hander didn't make it out of the first inning Wednesday against the New York Mets and was charged with five runs before the Phillies rallied 7-5 win.

Asher had his best showing Sept. 24 against the Marlins - allowing one run and three hits in seven innings - but took a 1-0 loss.

Miami's Dee Gordon, hitting .329, trails Washington's Bryce Harper by two points in the NL batting race. The outfielder is also two hits shy of becoming the first Marlins player with 200 in a season since Hanley Ramirez in 2007.

Gordon is batting .211 in his last five games against the Phillies after hitting .448 in his first seven this season. He's 2 for 13 lifetime against Harang and 0 for 3 versus Asher.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blue Jays (93-67) at Rays (78-82)

Game: 2
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: October 03, 2015 6:10 PM EDT

The Toronto Blue Jays will be facing some very good pitchers once the playoffs get underway.


They'll get an early start on that Saturday night when they oppose Tampa Bay Rays ace Chris Archer.

With home-field advantage still undetermined, the AL East champion Blue Jays look to take a step closer to that and get the best of Archer for the second time in a week.

Having already clinched their first division title since 1993, Toronto's focus this weekend will be on earning home-field advantage throughout the postseason. The Blue Jays (93-67) will open the division series Thursday at home and hope to start against the wild-card winner by finishing with the league's best record.

They are tied with Kansas City in that race but own the tiebreaker because of a better head-to-head record.

Faced with a three-run deficit in Friday's series opener, the Blue Jays did what they do best - pummel the opposition with offense.

They answered Tampa Bay's four-run fifth with four of their own in the sixth, and Edwin Encarnacion and Russell Martin homered an inning later as Toronto won 8-4 to avoid its first three-game skid since early July.

Troy Tulowitzki had a pair of hits and a run scored in his first action since Sept. 12 after missing three weeks with a cracked scapula and bruised muscles in his upper back. Toronto improved to 31-8 with him in the lineup.

'It's awesome,' Tulowitzki said. 'To be back out there on the field is always special.'

He is expected to get Saturday off and then play in Sunday's regular-season finale.

'He looked good to me,' manager John Gibbons said.

The Blue Jays set a franchise record with their 48th victory since the All-Star break.

Marco Estrada (13-8, 3.15 ERA) aims to push that number to 49 in his final tune-up before the postseason.

Estrada, who didn't even begin the season in the rotation, has likely secured a start in the playoffs after he was one of the team's most consistent pitchers down the stretch. He is 6-2 with a 2.63 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in his last 12 starts, allowing three runs or fewer 11 times.

The right-hander was very good again Monday at Baltimore, yielding three runs and four hits over 7 1-3 innings before Toronto rallied for a 4-3 victory. He retired 18 of the next 19 after serving up a three-run homer in the second.

Estrada has dominated the Rays this season, tossing 21 scoreless innings in two starts and two relief appearances while allowing seven hits and one walk with 18 strikeouts.

Tampa Bay (78-82) will finish with a losing record for the second consecutive season after four straight years of at least 90 wins.

Archer (12-13, 3.26) needs a victory to avoid a losing record as he tries to erase the memory of a very disappointing birthday.

The right-hander is 0-3 with a 6.58 ERA in five starts since his last win Aug. 31. He has nowhere to go but up after he was roughed up for a career high-tying nine runs and 10 hits over 3 2-3 innings in a 10-8 loss at Toronto last Saturday on his 27th birthday.

'It wasn't my day by any means,' said Archer, who walked five for the second straight start.

Before Saturday's performance, Archer had gone 3-1 with a 0.93 ERA in his first four starts this season against the Blue Jays.

He's limited Encarnacion to 4 for 34 lifetime though three of those hits left the park.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Reds (63-97) at Pirates (97-63)

Game: 2
Venue: PNC Park
Date: October 03, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

A.J. Burnett returned to the Pittsburgh Pirates looking to cap his 17-year career by winning a World Series. He first gets a chance to assure his team of home-field advantage in next week's NL wild-card game.

Burnett takes the mound for the final time in the regular season Saturday night against the Cincinnati Reds, losers of 13 straight.

Burnett (9-6, 3.15 ERA) spent two seasons in Pittsburgh before making a free-agent move to Philadelphia last year, going 8-18 with a 4.59 ERA.

The 38-year-old right-hander declined a $12.75 million option to stay with the Phillies and instead returned to the Pirates for $8.5, saying that's where he belonged and that he wanted to "win a ring."

He has a chance at it with Pittsburgh (97-63) already headed to the postseason, and he can make sure the Pirates host a third straight wild-card game Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs. Pittsburgh needs a win or a Cubs loss at Milwaukee.

Starling Marte put the Pirates on the brink of that achievement with a walkoff homer in the 12th inning of a 6-4 win over Cincinnati on Friday. It was their 11th walkoff of the season, second in the league behind Chicago's 13.

"It's exciting, especially in this game where we're trying to play at home," Marte said after the Pirates rallied from a 4-0 deficit. "We play good baseball at home. We want to make our fans happy. We want to play here."

Burnett surely shares that sentiment, especially against the Reds (63-97). He's 3-1 with a 1.98 ERA in six starts in this matchup at PNC Park. He last faced them at Cincinnati on July 30, surrendering eight runs in 4 1-3 innings of a 15-5 loss before he spent nearly six weeks on the disabled list with inflammation in his right elbow.

Burnett is 1-1 with a 3.68 ERA in four starts since returning, allowing two runs in six innings of a 4-0 road loss to the Cubs on Sunday.

The Reds hope to taste victory again before this season ends, having lost 13 straight since their last win Sept. 19. The 13-game skid is Cincinnati's longest since 1945 and it hasn't had a longer slide in a single season since dropping 14 in a row to end 1937.

"I'm kind of at a loss for words right now," manager Bryan Price said.

Joey Votto continues to be a bright spot, reaching base safely in 48 consecutive games to tie the franchise record set by Pete Rose in 1978. He's hitting .357 with 55 walks over that stretch.

Votto, 10 for 31 with a homer off Burnett, has also reached base 316 times this season, equaling the club record he set in 2013.

The Reds hand the ball to Brandon Finnegan (1-2, 5.09), who is 1-2 with a 6.00 ERA in three starts - all on the road - since being recalled from Triple-A Louisville last month.

The 22-year-old left-hander, acquired from Kansas City in the Johnny Cueto trade in July, gave up three runs and eight hits in five innings of a 5-1 loss at Washington on Monday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cardinals (100-60) at Braves (65-95)

Game: 2
Venue: Turner Field
Date: October 03, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Shelby Miller's final attempt to end his lengthy winless streak in 2015 will come against a team that's resting up for the playoffs.

The St. Louis Cardinals also happen to be the Atlanta Braves right-hander's former club, and that would likely make a long-awaited victory a little sweeter should it come Saturday night.

Miller (5-17, 3.15 ERA) hasn't earned a win since coming within one out of a no-hitter May 17 in Miami. He's 0-16 with a 3.83 ERA in his last 24 starts while receiving a combined 25 runs of support.

Miller hasn't aided his own cause lately with a 5.56 ERA in an eight-start losing streak and matched a career high by allowing seven runs over 5 1-3 innings in a 9-5 loss in Miami on Sunday.

No matter what happens Saturday, Miller's streak will mark the longest for a starter in a single season since Jack Nabors' 27 for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1916. A 25th consecutive outing without a victory would put him just shy of tying Joe Oeschger's 26-start streak for the Boston Braves from 1922-23.

Another loss would leave Miller tied for the second-longest streak in one season with the New York Mets' Roger Craig (1963). Nabors lost his final 19 decisions.

Miller, who pitched his first three seasons in St. Louis and won 15 games in 2013, was acquired in November in a four-player deal that sent Jason Heyward to St. Louis.

Miller has faced the Cardinals (100-60) just one other time this year. He yielded one run and two hits in 7 1-3 innings July 25 in St. Louis but took a 1-0 loss.

"They're some of my best friends and I wish them the best of luck, but I'm going to try to beat them tomorrow," he said. "They're not going to get out of here easy, that's for sure."

Heyward is batting .292 with a team-leading 23 stolen bases and was given the night off in a 4-0 loss to the Braves (65-95) on Friday. It's unclear if he'll play his first game as an opposing player in Atlanta on Saturday.

"It'd be more of a homecoming if more of the teammates I played with were still here," he said. "I know this is the team I broke in with and I played a lot of games with, but it's a different team and a different vibe."

Matt Carpenter, Matt Holliday and Jhonny Peralta were also among the regulars who were also given a night off in the series opener.

"It's nice to take advantage of an opportunity to get a little more rest, but we'll also get work and try to stay sharp," manager Mike Matheny told MLB's official website.

Stephen Piscotty hasn't played since an outfield collision Monday in Pittsburgh, and Matheny is hopeful he can play this weekend.

John Lackey (13-9, 2.69) makes his final start before potentially pitching in Game 1 of the NL division series against Pittsburgh or the Chicago Cubs on Friday.

The right-hander has proved a model of consistency with 20 consecutive starts of at least six innings, and he's 9-5 with a 2.13 ERA in that stretch. He's gone at least seven innings in each of his last five outings and is 2-0 with a 0.86 ERA in his past three.

He is 1-0 with a 1.46 ERA in two starts versus Atlanta, the most recent in May 2014

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cubs (95-65) at Brewers (68-92)

Game: 2
Venue: Miller Park
Date: October 03, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Chicago's Kyle Hendricks is hitting his stride at the perfect time and although it has yet to be confirmed by manager Joe Maddon, seems to have locked down a spot in the postseason rotation should the Cubs win next week's wild-card game.

It's looking more likely like that winner-take-all game will be taking place in Pittsburgh.

Hendricks looks to build on a solid performance and help Chicago to a seventh straight win Saturday night against the Milwaukee Brewers in front of what is expected to be another large Cubs crowd at Miller Park.

Jake Arrieta made his final case for the NL Cy Young Award on Friday by striking out seven in six scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 1.77 as Chicago (95-65) won 6-1. However, the Pirates moved to the cusp of securing the league's top wild card by rallying for a 12-inning win over slumping Cincinnati.

Pittsburgh's magic number to host Wednesday's wild-card game is one.

Hendricks (7-7, 4.09 ERA) has had an up-and-down season - his ERA was at 5.15 in mid-May - but in five September starts, he had a 3.71 ERA with 31 strikeouts over 26 2-3 innings. The right-hander was sharp early against the Brewers (68-92) on Sept. 23, allowing one run and two hits while striking out eight through six innings. He gave up two runs and two hits without recording an out in the seventh, though, and took a 4-1 loss.

Five days later, he shut down AL Central-champion Kansas City, permitting two hits and walking two while striking out nine over six innings in a 1-0, 11-inning win. It was his major league-leading 17th start without a decision.

"I'm just trying to focus on going out there every time (Maddon) gives me the ball and make good pitches," he told MLB's official website said. "Come playoff time, you have to be ready to do whatever Skip asks you to do, whether it's a start or come out of the 'pen. I just hope I get some innings. Whatever the team needs me for, that's the bottom line."

Hendricks has a 7.58 ERA in his last four road starts but has been stellar at Miller Park this season, posting a 0.73 ERA in two outings there.

Anthony Rizzo has also excelled in Milwaukee, batting .424 with five home runs and 14 RBIs in eight games this year. He hit his 31st homer and drove in three runs to move into a tie with Kris Bryant for the team lead with 99 RBIs.

The last time the Cubs had two players with at least 100 RBIs in a single season was in 2004, when Moises Alou had 106 and Aramis Ramirez had 103.

Chicago has plated 21 runs in its last three games and looks to stay hot against Tyler Wagner (0-1, 11.74), who had a Southern League-best 2.25 ERA in 25 starts for Double-A Biloxi but has struggled mightily in two big-league starts.

The 24-year-old right-hander made his major league debut May 31 against Arizona, yielding five runs in 3 2-3 innings. He was sent back to the minors before being recalled last week and permitted five runs, six hits and four walks in four innings of last Saturday's 5-1 loss at St. Louis.

"You fall behind big league hitters and you limit yourself in your pitch choices, it's trouble for anybody,' manager Craig Counsell said.

He is limiting left-handed hitters to a .154 average in 13 at-bats but righties are 13 for 21 (.619) with six extra-base hits.

Scooter Gennett had one of Milwaukee's two hits off Arrieta on Friday and is 7 for 16 in his last four games, but 3 for 15 lifetime against Hendricks.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Red Sox (78-82) at Indians (79-80)

Game: 2
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: October 03, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Corey Kluber has followed last year's Cy Young Award-winning season with an uneven campaign that has been both good and bad at times.

He's been a lot more of the latter recently for the Cleveland Indians, but will try to end his year on a strong note Saturday night against the visiting Boston Red Sox.

Kluber (8-16, 3.62 ERA) is among 16 pitchers with at least 200 strikeouts, though he's the only one with fewer than 10 wins. Nine of them have won at least 13. His ERA is also the fourth-worst among those players.

He's baseball's first pitcher to lose 16 games with at least 230 strikeouts since Nolan Ryan went 8-16 for Houston in 1987 despite fanning a major league-best 270. Gaylord Perry is the only other Indians player to reach those thresholds, doing so in 1972 and 1973.

The right-hander seems to be running on fumes down the stretch and was limited to three starts in September while being bothered by a hamstring issue. He gave up four runs and seven hits over six innings in a 4-2 loss to Minnesota on Monday, falling to 0-4 with a 5.13 ERA in his last six outings.

He's given up nine home runs over 33 1-3 innings in that span, the same number he allowed over 136 innings his previous 18 starts.

"I'll take him at 80 percent compared to a lot of guys at 100 percent," teammate Jason Kipnis said. "Corey is out there giving his best because he wants to help this team any way he can."

Kluber fell to 0-2 in five career games against Boston on Aug. 19 when he gave up a career-worst four homers along with six runs over six innings in a 6-4 defeat. Jackie Bradley Jr., David Ortiz, Ryan Hanigan and Travis Shaw all took Kluber deep.

The Indians (79-80) won Friday's opener 8-2 despite being without Kipnis, who has been dealing with shoulder and neck injuries. Carlos Santana was 2 for 3 with three RBIs after batting .122 in his previous 11 games, though he has 12 RBIs in his last 10 contests.

The Red Sox (78-82) ensured themselves a losing record for the second straight year for the first time since finishing below .500 from 1992-94. Ortiz, who had sat out three of the previous six games, returned to hit his 37th home run. Mookie Betts reached base for the 35th consecutive game and is batting .367 during that streak.

Craig Breslow (0-3, 4.22) makes his second career start after his first came in his 523rd career appearance last Saturday against Baltimore. He limited the Orioles to two hits over four innings in Boston's 8-0 victory.

"Now that it's done and it went pretty well, it was a lot of fun," he told MLB's official website. "I don't know how many guys make 500-some odd career relief appearances and then get a chance to start their first big league game."

Breslow, who's expected to be limited to 50-60 pitches, hasn't allowed an earned run over 3 2-3 innings of relief against the Indians this year.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Tigers (73-86) at White Sox (75-85)

Game: 2
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: October 03, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Justin Verlander's abbreviated season began with a prolonged rough stretch, but could end on a successful run.

The Detroit Tigers right-hander tries for a season-high third consecutive winning start Saturday night against the host Chicago White Sox.

After missing the first two months with a strained triceps, Verlander went 0-3 with a 5.57 ERA in his first seven starts before winning at Tampa Bay on July 29. Since July 24, however, Verlander has a 2.22 ERA in 13 starts.

'I can't say I expected to come back in midseason form,' said Verlander (5-8, 3.39 ERA), who allowed a solo homer in six innings of Monday's 7-4 victory at Texas. 'That's kind of a naive way of looking at things. I had my ups and down the first couple of starts, then settled down and pitched the way I expected to.'

Verlander, who last won three straight starts since April 12-22 of last season, gave up three runs and struck out eight in seven innings of a 7-4 win over Chicago (75-85) on Sept. 23.

One week after Detroit's front office announced manager Brad Ausmus would return in 2016, White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said Robin Ventura has done enough to remain in the dugout on the South Side despite a third consecutive losing season.

'If I didn't feel, if we didn't feel as an organization, that Robin had the ability to be a championship-caliber manager, he wouldn't be here,' Hahn said. 'And it's important at the end that we put ourselves in the best position possible going forward, and as we sit here today, we feel like we are in that position.'

Erik Johnson (3-1, 3.45) is doing all he can to find a place for himself in Chicago's starting rotation next season. Despite allowing seven hits and walking four in 5 2-3 innings Sunday, he yielded two earned runs during a 6-1 loss at Yankee Stadium.

"It was another one of those days where runners are going to be on base. That's how it's going to be," the right-hander said. "You just have to grind 'em out and keep throwing up zeros as best you can."

Johnson gave up two runs and matched a career high with nine strikeouts in six innings of a 3-2 win at Detroit (73-86) on Sept. 21.

Miguel Cabrera is 1 for 6 with two strikeouts against Johnson, but could be in the lineup after sitting the last two contests. Hitting .334, Cabrera is on the verge of winning his fourth AL batting title in five years but is 3 for 21 in six games at Chicago this season.

Though Cabrera has another personal milestone in reach, it's bittersweet amid the Tigers' disappointing season. Detroit is in danger of finishing last in the AL Central after winning it the previous four years.

"It's hard when you're losing games," he told MLB's official website.

Jose Abreu could be back in the White Sox lineup after he was rested in Friday's 2-1 victory. A night earlier, he became the second player in major league history to record at least 30 homers and 100 RBIs in his first two seasons.

Abreu has hit .121 with 15 strikeouts in his last nine games against Detroit, but is batting .444 with two home runs in 18 at-bats when facing Verlander.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Astros (85-75) at Diamondbacks (78-82)

Game: 2
Venue: Chase Field
Date: October 03, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

The Houston Astros have been in postseason mode of some time now.

That approach won't change Saturday night when the visiting Astros continue their series with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Carlos Correa had four RBIs and set a rookie club record with his 22nd home as Houston (85-75) rolled to a 21-5 victory Friday. It was the highest-scoring game in team history and the Astros' fifth win in the last six games.

Houston enters play Saturday one game ahead of the Los Angeles Angels and two up on Minnesota for the second wild-card spot in the AL, and can still force a one-game playoff with first-place Texas for the West crown.

"To us, the playoffs have already begun and we have to treat each game like a playoff game," manager A.J. Hinch told MLB's official website.

Correa is batting .357 with four homers and 14 RBIs in the last 10 games. He's also clubbed four home runs while going 7 for 16 with eight RBIs in four games against Arizona (78-82).

Houston's Collin McHugh (18-7, 3.98 ERA) has a 5.70 ERA in his last four starts, but he's 5-0 in his last six. The right-hander has allowed 10 runs, 14 hits and walked five in nine innings of his last two road outings and gave up three of his four runs in the first inning of the 6 2-3 he lasted during last Saturday's 9-7 home victory over Texas.

However, he yielded one run in seven innings of a 4-1 win over Arizona on Aug. 2.

With a victory, McHugh and 20-game winner Dallas Keuchel would become the first Houston duo since Mike Hampton and Jose Lima in 1999 to win at least 19 in the same season.

Paul Goldschmidt is 0 for 6 with two strikeouts against McHugh, and 3 for 14 while fanning seven times in this season's four games with Houston.

Jeremy Hellickson (9-11, 4.60) can record a fourth season with double-digit victories if he's able to avoid losing a fourth straight start. The Diamondbacks, however, have scored one run with him on the mound in the three outings he's made since missing almost a month with a strained hamstring.

The right-hander gave up one run in six innings of a 3-0 loss at San Diego last Saturday.

"I was happy with what we got out of Jeremy," manager Chip Hale said after that outing. "Mixed his pitches, threw that breaking ball a bunch, that changeup and again stayed off their barrel a lot."

Hellickson was hardly that effective while giving up seven runs and three homers in 3 1-3 innings of a 9-2 loss at Houston on Aug. 1. Highlighted by a grand slam, Hank Conger hit two of his 11 home runs this season off Hellickson in that contest. Correa also took him deep.

Carlos Gomez is 2 for 6 with a double against Hellickson, but it's uncertain if the center fielder will sit a second straight contest with a nagging rib injury.

"I get to the point (that) I don't worry about it," Gomez said. "I'm not the one who writes the lineup. I come here ready."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Padres (74-86) at Dodgers (90-70)

Game: 2
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: October 03, 2015 9:10 PM EDT

One of Zack Greinke's main rivals in the NL Cy Young Award race got his chance to make a final statement Friday.

The Dodgers' right-hander will get his opportunity Saturday night against the San Diego Padres as Los Angeles attempts to secure home-field advantage in the NL division series.

The Chicago Cubs' Jake Arrieta went six scoreless innings in a win over Milwaukee on Friday and finished 22-6 with a 1.77 ERA, including an MLB record 0.75 mark after the All-Star break.

Greinke's supporters can point to his better overall excellence in 2015, which has him with an MLB-best 1.68 ERA heading into the final weekend. Arrieta had a 3.40 ERA on June 16 while Greinke had a 1.95.

Greinke (18-3) is 13-1 in his last 16 starts but nearly took a loss in San Francisco on Monday after giving up two runs in seven innings. The Dodgers bailed him out by scoring a run in the ninth in a 3-2 loss in 12 innings.

Los Angeles could be tempted to give Greinke only a couple of innings Saturday to get him into the postseason rested and healthy, especially with a calf issue causing him to miss a start Sept. 23 against Arizona.

Greinke, though, told manager Don Mattingly that he wants "more of a regular start" to prepare.

"Zack had a little rest after the calf thing. He looks at it like he wants a full start," Mattingly said. "It probably won't be at 120 (pitches) or anything."

Greinke would clinch the ERA title outright by giving up three runs or fewer in five or more innings, giving him no worse than a 1.762 mark. Arrieta's is technically at 1.769.

The Dodgers (90-70) could use a quality effort as they're a half-game ahead of the New York Mets for home field in the NLDS. The NL East champions will play a doubleheader against Washington on Saturday and if they get swept and the Dodgers win, Los Angeles would host their playoff series.

Greinke currently has the lowest single-season ERA by a qualifying starter since Greg Maddux's 1.63 in 1995 for Atlanta. It's also the lowest for a Dodgers pitcher since Rube Marquard's 1.58 in 1916.

Greinke is 7-0 with a 1.04 ERA in his last 11 home starts beginning with a 2-1 win over San Diego on May 22, when he yielded one run in 7 2-3 innings.

Greinke, who has earned all those wins in his past seven home starts, took a 2-1 loss in his most recent matchup with the Padres (74-86) on June 13 after yielding two runs in eight innings.

He's 5-1 with a 1.61 ERA in 11 career meetings and 1-0 with a 1.31 ERA in three at Dodger Stadium since coming to Los Angeles in 2013.

The Padres have totaled 10 runs and batted .216 while losing four of five, including a 6-2 defeat in Friday's opener that was their fourth straight in the series.

Robbie Erlin (1-1, 6.30) will try to end that skid while keeping the positivity going into his offseason after a 3-0 win over Arizona last Saturday. He went seven innings, allowed two hits and walked one in his second start of the season.

Erlin was tagged for seven runs in three-plus innings in a 10-2 loss in Colorado on Sept. 19.

The left-hander, who is likely auditioning for a spot in next season's rotation, threw 7 2-3 shutout innings in his only start against Los Angeles on Sept. 20, 2013.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Athletics (67-93) at Mariners (75-85)

Game: 2
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: October 03, 2015 9:10 PM EDT

The Oakland Athletics and the Seattle Mariners have both crumbled down the stretch in what have been equally disappointing seasons for each franchise.

Though these clubs still continue to exhibit bright spots, that's likely of little consolation entering their meaningless penultimate game of the season Saturday night at Safeco Field.

Both teams have dropped 14 of 23 since Sept. 7, tying San Diego for the third-worst record in that span. The Athletics' futility stretches even further back, as they've lost 31 of their last 47 to guarantee their worst finish since going 65-97 in 1997.

Oakland (67-93) had been particularly bad even more recently, dropping nine of 10 before Wednesday's 8-7 road victory against the still-contending Los Angeles Angels, followed by Friday's 4-2 series-opening win. Danny Valencia enjoyed a big night in the opener, going 3 for 4 with an eighth-inning go-ahead home run to push his already personal-best total to 17.

Valencia is enjoying a career year with an .864 OPS through 103 games, the second-most he's played in seven big league seasons. He's flown mostly under the radar, however, splitting time between Oakland and Toronto. The Blue Jays designated him for assignment after acquiring left fielder Ben Revere at the trade deadline, even though Valencia, who played primarily the same position for Toronto, had hit .296 in 58 games.

His 34 RBIs in 45 games are an A's record for a player who has played in fewer than 50.

"It was unexpected coming here. But having said that, they gave me the opportunity to play every day," Valencia said. "They put me in the cleanup spot and I've been able to reward them for it.

"I've been playing the past few years waiting for this opportunity and finally it's come. I'm happy to take advantage of it."

For the Mariners (75-85), Robinson Cano extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a fifth-inning single. He's playing this series despite the fact that he'll undergo surgery Oct. 13 to repair a sports hernia after being bothered by the abdominal injury since July 22.

"It's one of those injuries that athletes can play with, and can play well," team medical director Dr. Edward Khalfayan said. "He has been managing it very well.

"It is painful at times but he has been able to perform. It's not doing any more damage by continuing to play."

Cano struggled earlier in the season with a .660 pre-All Star break OPS, though he owns a .922 mark since the Midsummer Classic.

"I love to play baseball. I played like this for the last two months," he said. "I love the game so much. I love to be out there."

These clubs will both send left-handers to the mound with Seattle giving the nod to Roenis Elias (5-8, 3.89 ERA). Elias has been sturdy of late, posting a 2.05 ERA in his last four starts.

Oakland's Sean Nolin (1-2, 5.25) will look to stick around longer in his sixth start of the year after allowing five runs and seven hits over a season-low 2 1-3 innings in a 5-4 loss to San Francisco on Sunday. He lost a 3-2 decision to Seattle in his first start of the season Sept. 6, giving up three runs over six innings.

The Mariners rank eighth in the majors with a .265 average against lefties, while Oakland is 19th (.251).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB

National League

Marlins @ Phillies
Nicolino is 1-2, 6.26 in his last four starts (over 3-1). Koehler is 3-1, 3.86 in his last four starts (over 4-1 last five).

Harang is 1-0, 3.50 in his last three starts (over 6-0 last six). Asher is 0-5, 9.00 in his six starts (over 5-1).

Marlins lost seven of last ten games with Philly; four of last five series games stayed under total. Miami lost last three games, scoring seven runs (over 4-2 last six games). Phillies won four in row, scoring 26 runs (under 5-3 last eight)

Reds @ Pirates
Finnegan is 0-2, 8.10 in last two starts (under 2-1 in '15 starts).

Burnett is 1-1, 3.71 in his last three starts (over 5-2 last seven).

Reds lost their last 13 games, scoring 15 runs in last seven (over 8-2 in last ten); they've lost four of last five games with Pirates (over 7-3-1 last eleven). Pirates lost three of last five games (under 5-3 last eight).

Nationals @ Mets
Gonzalez is 1-1, 3.68 in his last four starts (over 8-2 last ten). Scherzer is 2-1, 2.12 in his last four starts.

Harvey is 1-0, 1.54 in his last two starts (over 6-0 last six). Syndergaard is 1-1, 3.95 in his last four starts (over 7-2 last nine).

Washington lost seven of last ten games (under 5-1 last six); they lost six in a row to the Mets (over 4-0 last four). Mets lost last three games, scoring eight runs (over 7-2 last nine)- they're tied with Dodgers for home field in series that starts next week.

Cardinals @ Braves
Lackey is 2-0, 1.29 in his last four starts (over 6-3 last nine).

Former Cardinal Miller is 0-8, 6.75 in his last eight starts (over 4-1 last five).

Cardinals won five of last eight games with Atlanta (under 5-1 last six); St Louis won seven of last 11 games (over 5-3-1 last nine). Braves won three of last four games (under 4-0).

Cubs @ Brewers
Hendricks is 0-1, 4.20 in his last three starts (over 4-2 last six).

Wagner is 0-1, 10.38 in his two starts (over 1-1).

Brewers are 6-3 in last nine games (under 5-2-3 last ten); they lost ten of last 11 games with Chicago (under 6-3-1). Cubs won last six games (under is 7-2-1 in their last ten).

Padres @ Dodgers
Erlin is 1-1, 6.30 in two starts this year (over 1-1).

Greinke is 5-0, 1.70 in his last six starts (under 7-2 last nine).

Dodgers won five of last six games with San Diego (under 4-3 last seven); LA won three of last four games overall (under 3-2 last five). San Diego lost four of last five games (under 4-1-1 last six)

Rockies @ Giants
Rusin is 1-2, 9.33 in his last four starts (over 4-1 last five).

Peavy is 2-0, 1.38 in his last four starts (over 3-1).

Rockies lost four of last seven games with San Francisco; (over 7-2 in last ten); Colorado lost seven of its last 11 games. Giants lost three of last four games; three of their last five stayed under.


American League

Bronx @ Orioles
Severino is 2-0, 1.53 in his last three starts (under 5-2-1 last eight). Nova is 0-3, 6.91 in his last three starts (under 6-3 last nine).

Chen is 2-1, 2.29 in his last three starts (over 4-2 last six). Jimenez is 1-1, 2.08 in his last two starts (under 3-1 last four).

Orioles lost five of last seven games with Bronx (under 5-2); Baltimore lost five of last seven games overall (over 3-0 last three). Bronx clinched playoff spot last night; they lost three of last four games (under 7-2 last nine).

Red Sox @ Indians
Red Sox bullpen will work this game game, with Breslow starting.

Kluber is 0-3, 7.24 in his last three starts (over 6-4 in last ten).

Boston won six of last eight games; eight of their last 11 stayed under total; BoSox split last eight games with Cleveland (over 4-0 last four). Indians lost four of last six games (under 6-5 last eleven).

Blue Jays @ Rays
Estrada is 1-0, 2.05 in his last three starts (under 3-1 last four at home).

Archer is 0-3, 6.92 n his last five starts (over 6-1 last seven).

Toronto won seven of last eight games with Tampa Bay (over 2-0-1); Blue Jays won seven of last nine games (over 4-0 last four). Rays won six of last ten (under 5-3-2).

Royals @ Twins
Ventura is 2-0, 3.80 in his last four starts (over 2-2).

Milone is 1-1, 11.81 in his last three starts (over 2-1).

Royals are 7-4 in last 11 games with Minnesota (under 6-0-2 last eight); they won last three games overall (under 5-2-1). Twins won five of their last seven games (under 5-2); they're two games behind Houston for last Wild Card spot.

Angels @ Rangers
Santiago is 1-0, 8.74 in his last three starts (under 3-1-1 last five).

Lewis is 3-1, 3.51 in his last four starts (over 3-0 last three).

Angels won seven of last 11 games with Texas (under 5-0 last five); Halos won eight of their last ten games (under 4-2-1 last seven). Texas won seven of its last eleven games (over 8-4-1 last thirteen).

Tigers @ White Sox
Verlander is 2-0, 2.77 in his last tw starts (over 4-0 last four).

Johnson is 2-1, 3.57 in his last four starts (over 4-2-1 last seven).

White Sox lost six of last ten games with Detroit (under 4-1 last five); they've lost seven of last ten games overall (under 8-3 last 11). Tigers lost five of their last six games (under 7-4 last eleven).

A's @ Mariners
Nolin is 0-1, 8.76 in his last three starts (over 4-3 in '15 starts).

Elias is 1-0, 2.70 in his last three starts (under 3-1 last four).

Oakland lost five of last six games with Seattle (over 5-2 last seven); A's lost eight of last 11 games overall (over 8-1-1 last ten). Mariners lost eight of last nine games (over 6-5 in last eleven games).


Interleague

Astros @ Diamondbacks
McHugh is 5-0, 4.06 in his last six starts (over 4-1-1); Astros scored 48 runs in the six games.

Hellickson is 0-3, 6.00 in his last three starts (under 3-1 last four).

Houston has one-game lead in Wild Card race; they won five of last six games with Arizona (over 4-1 last five). D'backs won five of last seven games (under 4-2 last six). Astros won five of last six games (over 5-2-1 last eight).


Win-loss records this year for team with this starting pitcher:
Mia-Phil-- Nicolino 5-6 Koehler 14-16; Harang 11-17 Asher 1-5
Cin-Pitt-- Finnegan 1-2; Burnett 13-12
Wsh-NY-- Gonzalez 15-15 (2-6 last 8) Scherzer 17-15; Syndergaard 13-10 Harvey 17-11
StL-Atl-- Lackey 17-15; Miller 10-32 (0-8 last 8)
Chi-Mil-- Hendricks 18-13; Wagner 1-1
SD-LA-- Erlin 1-1; Greinke 22-9
Col-SF-- Rusin 7-13; Peavy 10-8

NY-Balt-- Severino 6-4 Nova 6-0 (1-6 last 7); Chen 18-12 Jimenez 17-14
Bos-Clev-- Breslow 1-0; Kluber 11-21
Tor-TB-- Estrada 16-11; Archer 17-16 (0-3 last 3)
LA-Tex-- Santiago 17-14; Lewis 16-16
KC-Min-- Ventura 15-12; Milone 12-10
Det-Chi-- Verlander 7-12 (3-0 last 3); Johnson 3-2
A's-Sea-- Nolin 2-3; Elias 6-13

Hst-Az-- McHugh 20-11; Hellickson 11-15


Times this starting pitcher allowed a run in first inning:
Mia-Phil-- Nicolino 1-11 Koehler 8-30; Harang 10-28 Asher 3-6
Cin-Pitt-- Finnegan 0-3; Burnett 7-25
Wsh-NY-- Gonzalez 2-30 Scherzer 8-32; Syndergaard 8-23 Harvey 7-28
StL-Atl-- Lackey 9-32; Miller 8-32 (3 of last 3)
Chi-Mil-- Hendricks 7-31; Wagner 2-2
SD-LA-- Erlin 1-2; Greinke 7-31
Col-SF-- Rusin 8-21; Peavy 4-18

NY-Balt-- Severino 3-10 Nova 1-16; Chen 8-30 Jimenez 9-31
Bos-Clev-- Breslow 0-1; Kluber 12-32
Tor-TB-- Estrada 7-27; Archer 8-33
LA-Tex-- Santiago 10-31; Lewis 6-32
KC-Min-- Ventura 5-27; Milone 5-22
Det-Chi-- Verlander 3-19; Johnson 1-5
A's-Sea-- Nolin 1-5; Elias 8-19

Hst-Az-- McHugh 10-31; Hellickson 9-26


Umpires
Col-SF-- Visitor won seven of last eight Baker games.
Cin-Pitt-- Over is 8-1-1 in last ten Everitt games.
StL-Atl-- Underdogs won six of last nine Porter games.
Chi-Mil-- Four of last five Hamari games went over.
SD-LA-- Last four LBarrett games stayed under total.

Tor-TB-- Last four Dreckman games went over total.
Bos-Clev-- Over is 9-5-1 in last fifteen Rackley games.
Det-Chi-- Four of last five Johnson games went over.
LA-Tex-- Nine of last ten Cooper games went over.
A's-Sea-- Five of last six Demuth games went over.

Hst-Az-- Underdogs won four of last five Nelson games.

 

[vivaatlanticcity]

Newworldinsider? I'll have Candeladeportiva in a few tia

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Five To Follow MLB Betting: Saturday, October 3, 2015 Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews

Anyone who thought that when baseball added a second wild-card spot it was a bad idea simply needs to look at this weekend and how potentially crazy things could get as proof that it was a spectacular idea, one of Bud Selig's last good ones. I don't have a dog in the fight between the Houston Astros, Los Angeles Angels and Minnesota Twins for the AL's second wild-card spot. Don't have a preference for which team makes it. The Angels bring star power, while the Astros and Twins are at least a year ahead of schedule in terms of contending. MLB smartly will start every game at the same time on Sunday. We could have a three-way tie after that day and then two playoff games just to get the second wild-card spot. I really want to see that. Here's how a three-way tie would work: After clubs have been assigned their A, B and C designations, Club A would host Club B. The winner of the game would then host Club C to determine the Wild Card Club. It's still too early to determine which teams are A, B or C. This is my final Five To Follow for the 2015 season. Hope it helped you build your bankroll.


Blue Jays at Rays (-121, 7.5)

Barring an unlikely setback Friday in a simulated game, Blue Jays shortstop Troy Tulowitzki will play Saturday for the first time since suffering a cracked left shoulder blade on Sept. 12. So that gives him two games to shake off the rust before the ALDS. Tulowitzki was batting .232 with five home runs and a .682 OPS over 39 games with the Jays prior to the injury. Toronto still has the AL's top seed to play for. It starts Marco Estrada (13-8, 3.15) here. He has allowed three runs or fewer in 11 of his last 12 outings while posting a 2.63 ERA over that stretch. Estrada has pitched 21 innings vs. the Rays this year (two starts, two in relief) and has not allowed run. It's Rays All-Star Chris Archer (12-13, 3.26). He had largely dominated Toronto in four previous starts this year but was crushed for nine runs and 10 hits over 3.2 innings at the Blue Jays in his last start. Edwin Encarnacion is only 4-for-34 off him but does have three homers. Jose Bautista is 4-for-31.

Key trends: The Jays are 6-1 in their past seven on Saturday. The Rays are 0-4 in Archer's past four vs. teams with a winning record. The "over/under" is 6-1 in Archer's past seven overall. The under is 3-1-1 in Archer's past five vs. Toronto.

Early lean: Archer will bounce back. Take Rays and under.


Astros at Diamondbacks (+146, 8.5)

Houston could clinch the wild-card spot in this game depending on what it does Friday night as well what the Angels and Twins do. The Astros took a one-game lead over Los Angeles and Minnesota into Friday. Houston goes with Collin McHugh (18-7, 3.98) here. He is 6-4 with a 4.26 ERA in 15 road starts this year. He beat visiting Arizona on Aug. 2, allowing one run over seven innings. Arizona's Jeremy Hellickson (9-11, 4.60) has lost his past three. He lost in Houston on Aug. 1, allowing seven runs over 3.1 innings. Jose Altuve is 1-for-3 off him. Likely AL Rookie of the Year Carlos Correa 1-for-2 with a homer. Again, no DH here for Houston.

Key trends: The Astros are 2-5 in McHugh's past seven road starts vs. teams with a losing record. Arizona is 1-4 in Hellickson's past five vs. teams with a winning record. The under is 9-1 in McHugh's past 10 against teams with a losing record. The over is 4-1 in Hellickson's past five on Saturday.

Early lean: Astros and over.


Angels at Rangers (TBA)

It's possible that Los Angeles is eliminated with a defeat here -- if the Angels lost on Friday night and Houston won. The Angels turn to All-Star lefty Hector Santiago (9-9, 3.52) in this one. He has been shaky of late, with a 7.94 ERA in 11.1 innings over his past three starts. Yet L.A. has won his past five overall. Santiago is 3-0 with a 1.48 ERA in five starts vs. Texas in 2015. The Rangers have clinched a playoff spot and had a magic number of one to clinch the AL West entering Friday. So if they do a bunch of celebrating and rest regulars in this one, that's a total slap in the face to the Astros and Twins. The Rangers' Colby Lewis (17-9, 4.53) was rocked last time out, allowing six runs over 4.2 innings vs. Detroit. Lewis is 1-3 with an 8.31 ERA in four starts vs. the Halos.

Key trends: The Angels are 2-5 in Santiago's past seven on the road. Texas is 8-2 in Lewis' past 10 at home vs. teams with a winning record. The over is 7-1-1 in Lewis' past nine at home vs. L.A.

Early lean: Angels -- go big on them if Rangers clinched AL West on Friday -- and over.


Nationals at Mets (-128, 6.5)

Great pitching matchup in an otherwise meaningless game - well, the Mets still want to lock down the No. 2 seed ahead of the Dodgers and could with a win here. It's Matt Harvey (13-7, 2.80) for the Mets and when you talk of Harvey, you have to mention his innings limit. He already has topped his season limit of 180 with 183.1. And the Mets have said he will only make one start in the NLDS no matter what. Harvey will not be allowed more than 70 pitches in this game. He is 2-1 with a 2.73 ERA this season in five starts vs. Washington. He owns Bryce Harper, who is 0-for-20 with seven punchouts against Harvey. It's Max Scherzer (13-12, 2.91) for Washington. He has had a fine first season with the Nats, although faded a bit as season went on. Scherzer is 0-2 despite a 2.61 ERA in three starts vs. New York this year. Michael Cuddyer is 6-for-24 career off him with two dingers.

Key trends: Washington is 1-4 in Scherzer's past five against teams with a winning record. The under is 9-3-1 in his past 13 on the road.

Early lean: Since Harvey won't be in there long, take Nats. Definitely under.


Padres at Dodgers (-250, 6.5)

San Diego has already shut down outfielder Matt Kemp and is set to do the same with Wil Myers, who has been injured most of the season as it is. Thus, we might see a no-hitter against that weak lineup by MLB ERA leader Zack Greinke on Saturday as he makes his final audition for the NL Cy Young Award. I'm not sure if Greinke (18-3, 1.68) will be on an innings limit ahead of his next start, most likely Game 2 of the NLDS against the Mets. By the way, this could be Greinke's final regular-season start in a Dodgers uniform as he will opt out of his contract this offseason and become a free agent. Think he will get paid? Greinke is 1-1 with a 1.26 ERA in four starts vs. the Padres this year. It's lefty Robbie Erlin (1-1, 6.30) for San Diego. He has made only two starts this year and not against the Dodgers.

Key trends: The Dodgers are 10-4 in their past 14 at home vs. lefties. The over is 4-1 in Erlin's past five on the road. The over is 4-0 in L.A's past four against a lefty.

Early lean: Dodgers on runline and under.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Saturday's six-pack

Some college football trends for Saturday's games........

-- Underdogs are 10-1-1 vs spread in last 12 Air Force-Navy games.

-- Ohio State is 7-10-1 vs spread in last 18 games as a road favorite.

-- Since 2005, Ole Miss is 5-13 vs spread as a road favorite.

-- Arkansas lost its last six games at Tennessee by average score of 43-22

-- Average total in last five Arizona State-UCLA games is 78.8.

-- Colorado covered five in row as home dog; Oregon is 13-3 as a road favorite.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Arthur Ralph Sports

Bonus Play Sat Auburn -20

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Playbook
Marc Lawerence


Best Bets
3* #112 Ga Tech
5* #159 Alabama
GOW #193 Arkansas

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Gold Sheet


Key Releases
#121 Ohio - #137 Iowa
@141 Miss.St - #198 Sou.Miss

Gold Sheet CKO


Priority Picks
11* #115 Bowling Green
10*'s #169 N.Ill - #172 Baylor
#177 Wash.St.

Gold Sheet Extra


Tech Plays
#131 Minn - #146 Rice
#198 Sou.Miss - #214 N.Mex

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Pointwise Newsletter


Key Releases
R1 #205 Michigan - #159 Bama
R2 #157 Air Force
R3 #135 W.Virgina
R4 #134 NC St - #116 Buffalo
R5 #215 UNLV - #156 TCU