Tom Stryker
MLB Smoker of the Month
#919 MINNESOTA with Baker (-150) over Baltimore at 7:05 PM EST
Resting one game behind Chicago in the AL Central standings and five games behind Boston in the race for the American League Wild Card, Minnesota knows that it must take advantage of every opportunity it has to win. Tonight will be no different matched up against a Baltimore team that rests in the cellar of the AL East and has dropped eight of its last 10 games.
On the mound for the Twins will be right hand Scott Baker. In his last four starts against Detroit, Oakland, Seattle and Los Angeles, the former Oklahoma State Cowboy has been right on the money. Through 28.0 innings, Scott was touched for only eight earned runs and 24 hits. That adds up to a tremendous 2.57 ERA. Equally impressive, on foreign soil this season, No. 30 has been dynamite. With 87.1 frames in the bank, Baker has been nicked for only 38 earned runs and 91 hits. That translates into a solid 5-3 overall record and a respectable 3.92 ERA.
Off last night's 6-3 win over Cleveland, Baltimore will turn to righty Daniel Cabrera. Fading Cabrera right now shouldn't be a problem for anyone. In his last three starts against Oakland, New York and Boston, Cabrera was nailed for 15 earned runs and 23 hits in only 11.0 innings of work. That adds up to an ugly 12.27 ERA! It certainly won't help that the Orioles have dropped 13 of Daniel's last 19 starts.
With Baker on the bump, the Twinkies have nailed seven of their last 10 facing teams from the American League East. Tie that up with the fact that the O's have dropped 17 of their last 22 when matched up against a greater than .500 foe and you have all the technical support needed for this blowout. Take Minnesota with listed pitcher Baker.