Larry Ness' 15* Bailout of the Week (99-32 TY / 16-2 run since Aug 7!)
My 15* play is on the NY Yankees at 10:05 ET. The Angels are the only team with a winning record against the Yankees since Joe Torre became the manager in 1996. The Angels are 61-54 against the Yankees in that span and also eliminated them from the playoffs in 2002 and 2005. LA's latest win (last night) over New York was particularly 'ugly' for the Yankees. LA pounded out 17 hits in an 18-9 win, as Garrett Anderson had the best game of his career. He went 4-for-6 with a club-record 10 RBI, including a grand slam and a three-run homer, as the Angels won their fifth straight home game. However, things look much brighter for the New Yorkers tonight, with Andy Pettitte on the mound. The Angels are 59-37 vs right-handers this year, including 32-10 (plus-$1,4950 at home. However, they are just 15-14 vs lefties, including 10-7 (minus-$150) at home. Veteran lefty Andy Pettitte has been great since the break for New York, going 6-1 with a 2.85 ERA in eight starts (Yanks are 7-1). He's won four straight, posting a 2.25 ERA. The Angels will counter with Lackey (15-7, 3.32 ERA) and he's had a very good year (team is 18-7 in his 25 starts). However, he is trying to bounce back after having his three-game winning streak snapped on Friday in an 8-4 loss at Boston. He was ripped for seven runs and 11 hits over a season-low four innings and tonight will face an embarrassed New York team that leads the majors in both BA (.292) and runs scored (750). Let's also note that although the Angels own that winning record over Torre and the Yanks, they haven't swept any of their 17 home series (of three games or more) against New York since May 23-25, 1995 (pre Torre!)! Bailout of the Week 15* NY Yankees.
Good Luck...Larry
My 15* play is on the NY Yankees at 10:05 ET. The Angels are the only team with a winning record against the Yankees since Joe Torre became the manager in 1996. The Angels are 61-54 against the Yankees in that span and also eliminated them from the playoffs in 2002 and 2005. LA's latest win (last night) over New York was particularly 'ugly' for the Yankees. LA pounded out 17 hits in an 18-9 win, as Garrett Anderson had the best game of his career. He went 4-for-6 with a club-record 10 RBI, including a grand slam and a three-run homer, as the Angels won their fifth straight home game. However, things look much brighter for the New Yorkers tonight, with Andy Pettitte on the mound. The Angels are 59-37 vs right-handers this year, including 32-10 (plus-$1,4950 at home. However, they are just 15-14 vs lefties, including 10-7 (minus-$150) at home. Veteran lefty Andy Pettitte has been great since the break for New York, going 6-1 with a 2.85 ERA in eight starts (Yanks are 7-1). He's won four straight, posting a 2.25 ERA. The Angels will counter with Lackey (15-7, 3.32 ERA) and he's had a very good year (team is 18-7 in his 25 starts). However, he is trying to bounce back after having his three-game winning streak snapped on Friday in an 8-4 loss at Boston. He was ripped for seven runs and 11 hits over a season-low four innings and tonight will face an embarrassed New York team that leads the majors in both BA (.292) and runs scored (750). Let's also note that although the Angels own that winning record over Torre and the Yanks, they haven't swept any of their 17 home series (of three games or more) against New York since May 23-25, 1995 (pre Torre!)! Bailout of the Week 15* NY Yankees.
Good Luck...Larry
Larry Ness' 15* Pitching Mismatch of the Week (16-2 since Aug 7 / 99-32 on the season!)
My 15* play is on the SD Padres at 7:10 ET. The Mets are hot, having averaged 7.5 RPG over their last seven, winning six times. Meanwhile, the Padres own MLB's lowest team BA at .245. However, Jake Peavy is the great equalizer. The Mets reached Chris Young last night for four ERs in five innings and then rocked Hoffman for four hits and two runs in the 9th, for a 7-6 comeback win. Young's ERA is a ML-low 2.12 and Peavy owns the majors' 2nd-best ERA at 2.19. On the road in '07, Peavy's been nearly unhittable. He's 7-0 in 10 starts (team is 8-2), allowing just 40 hits and a measly eight ERs over 67.2 innings, for a 1.06 ERA! San Diego will be facing Mets starter Brian Lawrence (1-0, 5.06 ERA) for the first time since the Padres traded him to Washington after the 2005 season. Lawrence began his career with San Diego and went 49-61 with a 4.10 ERA in 146 starts over five seasons (2001-05). The Padres were just 63-83 in those starts. Lawrence didn't pitch in the majors last year and made his first start for the Mets this year on August 2, for his first major league win since Aug. 16, 2005. He's made two starts since then, with the Mets losing both games (two no-decisions). He's allowed 20 hits and nine ERs over 16 innings of his three August starts and is hardly a match for Peavy. Pitching Mismatch of the Week 15* SD Padres.
Good Luck...Larry
My 15* play is on the SD Padres at 7:10 ET. The Mets are hot, having averaged 7.5 RPG over their last seven, winning six times. Meanwhile, the Padres own MLB's lowest team BA at .245. However, Jake Peavy is the great equalizer. The Mets reached Chris Young last night for four ERs in five innings and then rocked Hoffman for four hits and two runs in the 9th, for a 7-6 comeback win. Young's ERA is a ML-low 2.12 and Peavy owns the majors' 2nd-best ERA at 2.19. On the road in '07, Peavy's been nearly unhittable. He's 7-0 in 10 starts (team is 8-2), allowing just 40 hits and a measly eight ERs over 67.2 innings, for a 1.06 ERA! San Diego will be facing Mets starter Brian Lawrence (1-0, 5.06 ERA) for the first time since the Padres traded him to Washington after the 2005 season. Lawrence began his career with San Diego and went 49-61 with a 4.10 ERA in 146 starts over five seasons (2001-05). The Padres were just 63-83 in those starts. Lawrence didn't pitch in the majors last year and made his first start for the Mets this year on August 2, for his first major league win since Aug. 16, 2005. He's made two starts since then, with the Mets losing both games (two no-decisions). He's allowed 20 hits and nine ERs over 16 innings of his three August starts and is hardly a match for Peavy. Pitching Mismatch of the Week 15* SD Padres.
Good Luck...Larry
