Scott Rickenbach’s
5/30/2009
7:10:00 PM OVER 8.5 RUNS,KANSAS CITY ROYALS (Meche)
-vs- Chicago White Sox (Buehrle)
Scott Rickenbach’s MLB: 2* (Top Play) OVER the total in Kansas City vs Chicago-AL @ 7:10 PM ET: Meche vs Buehrle – To the betting markets, Buehrle shows a 6-1 record and a 2.59 ERA. However there is much more to Mark Buehrle’s numbers when you dig a little deeper under the surface. Buehrle has spent his entire career with the White Sox and he’s been much stronger at home than he’s been on the road throughout his career. This season he’s 2-1 on the road but with a 4.58 ERA and .289 BAA. Last season, Buehrle was a stellar 11-3 at home but note that he went 4-9 on the road with a 5.05 ERA and that he was hit at a .323 clip on the road! Also, Buehrle has great career numbers against the Royals but note that they’ve hit him quite well in recent match-ups. That includes one at Chicago earlier this season but they’ve especially fared well against him at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. Note that Buehrle was 1-2 against the Royals in Kansas City last season and he compiled a 5.60 ERA and a .347 BAA in those three outings. In 2007 the White Sox southpaw compiled a 4.91 ERA in his three starts against the Royals. So, again, when evaluating a pitcher, it is best to not simply rely on historical data nor just look at full season numbers. As you can see, there is plenty of support for believing that Buehrle will get a little “roughed up” by the Royals here! Buehrle is opposed by Gil Meche of the Royals and he’s really been struggling. In his last six starts he’s produced just one quality start and he’s averaged less than five innings per start! Meche had a great start at Chicago earlier this season but it was a chilly, early-season game at US Cellular Field and much has changed since then. We’re not just talking about the weather either – which, by the way, it will be quite pleasant in Kansas City tonight. Note that since his first outing this season, Meche has allowed at least four runs (most of them earned of course) in seven of his last nine starts! Here he must deal with a White Sox lineup whose confidence has grown as they’ve scored 33 runs in winning three of their last four games. Yesterday’s big win here in Kansas City is a sign of what to expect from the ChiSox bats tonight. Note that Kauffman Stadium really hasn’t been all that kind to Meche in his career either. He’s compiled a 14-17 record and a 4.57 ERA in his career outings in Kansas City. Truth be known, many of Meche’s better numbers in his career were the result of the years spent in Seattle and pitching home games at pitcher-friendly Safeco Field. Of course, it’s a different story for Meche now and he’s been struggling with his command which means more problems here for the veteran right-hander. Last, but not least, each of these teams has had some bullpen issues this season and they both have been hit pretty hard (KC .264 and CWS .273). Another high-scoring game is on tap tonight at Kauffmann. Play OVER the total in Kansas City as a regular selection
5/30/2009
7:10:00 PM OVER 8.5 RUNS,KANSAS CITY ROYALS (Meche)
-vs- Chicago White Sox (Buehrle)
Scott Rickenbach’s MLB: 2* (Top Play) OVER the total in Kansas City vs Chicago-AL @ 7:10 PM ET: Meche vs Buehrle – To the betting markets, Buehrle shows a 6-1 record and a 2.59 ERA. However there is much more to Mark Buehrle’s numbers when you dig a little deeper under the surface. Buehrle has spent his entire career with the White Sox and he’s been much stronger at home than he’s been on the road throughout his career. This season he’s 2-1 on the road but with a 4.58 ERA and .289 BAA. Last season, Buehrle was a stellar 11-3 at home but note that he went 4-9 on the road with a 5.05 ERA and that he was hit at a .323 clip on the road! Also, Buehrle has great career numbers against the Royals but note that they’ve hit him quite well in recent match-ups. That includes one at Chicago earlier this season but they’ve especially fared well against him at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. Note that Buehrle was 1-2 against the Royals in Kansas City last season and he compiled a 5.60 ERA and a .347 BAA in those three outings. In 2007 the White Sox southpaw compiled a 4.91 ERA in his three starts against the Royals. So, again, when evaluating a pitcher, it is best to not simply rely on historical data nor just look at full season numbers. As you can see, there is plenty of support for believing that Buehrle will get a little “roughed up” by the Royals here! Buehrle is opposed by Gil Meche of the Royals and he’s really been struggling. In his last six starts he’s produced just one quality start and he’s averaged less than five innings per start! Meche had a great start at Chicago earlier this season but it was a chilly, early-season game at US Cellular Field and much has changed since then. We’re not just talking about the weather either – which, by the way, it will be quite pleasant in Kansas City tonight. Note that since his first outing this season, Meche has allowed at least four runs (most of them earned of course) in seven of his last nine starts! Here he must deal with a White Sox lineup whose confidence has grown as they’ve scored 33 runs in winning three of their last four games. Yesterday’s big win here in Kansas City is a sign of what to expect from the ChiSox bats tonight. Note that Kauffman Stadium really hasn’t been all that kind to Meche in his career either. He’s compiled a 14-17 record and a 4.57 ERA in his career outings in Kansas City. Truth be known, many of Meche’s better numbers in his career were the result of the years spent in Seattle and pitching home games at pitcher-friendly Safeco Field. Of course, it’s a different story for Meche now and he’s been struggling with his command which means more problems here for the veteran right-hander. Last, but not least, each of these teams has had some bullpen issues this season and they both have been hit pretty hard (KC .264 and CWS .273). Another high-scoring game is on tap tonight at Kauffmann. Play OVER the total in Kansas City as a regular selection
From KJcolby and myself
Al DeMarco
Saturday's Play
5 Dime - New York Yankees (Sabathia) - 1 1/2 Runs over Cleveland (Carmona)
Last night the Yankees took an early 3-0 lead en route to a 3-1 win against Cleveland's best starting pitcher, Cliff Lee. The lefthander inherited that mantle after a breakthrough 2008 campaign following the mid-season trade of CC Sabathia. Tonight New York faces perhaps the worst pitcher in the Tribe's rotation, Fausto Carmona, in Sabathia's first trip back to Cleveland in an opponent's uniform.
Sabathia did square off against the Indians back on April 16 in the first game at the new Yankee Stadium, allowing five hits and one earned runs in 5.2 shaky innings in which he needed 122 pitches and walked five batters. But this is a different lefthander Cleveland will be facing tonight, one who is 3-0 in his last four starts with a 1.69 ERA.
Carmona was rocked by Tampa in his last start, also at home, an outing in which he allowed five earned runs and walked five batters in 1.1 innings. He's 0-2 in four home starts this season with a 5.66 ERA, a number that's just a shade better than his 6.42 ERA on the year. The righthander has allowed 91 baserunners (56 hits, 35 walks) in 56.2 innings so far. And Carmona has never fared well against the Yankees, posting a 4.61 ERA in seven outings against New York, four of them starts.
With New York on a 13-3 run, Jorge Posada back in action (two hits last night), Mark Teixeira (.409 average, 8 homers, 23 RBIs during the winning streak) enjoying A-Rod's protection in the line-up, and Sabathia on another one of his rolls, this is an ideal spot to take a big favorite and reduce the price -- putting the odds in our favor - by playing the Yankees on the Run Line.
Al DeMarco
Saturday's Play
5 Dime - New York Yankees (Sabathia) - 1 1/2 Runs over Cleveland (Carmona)
Last night the Yankees took an early 3-0 lead en route to a 3-1 win against Cleveland's best starting pitcher, Cliff Lee. The lefthander inherited that mantle after a breakthrough 2008 campaign following the mid-season trade of CC Sabathia. Tonight New York faces perhaps the worst pitcher in the Tribe's rotation, Fausto Carmona, in Sabathia's first trip back to Cleveland in an opponent's uniform.
Sabathia did square off against the Indians back on April 16 in the first game at the new Yankee Stadium, allowing five hits and one earned runs in 5.2 shaky innings in which he needed 122 pitches and walked five batters. But this is a different lefthander Cleveland will be facing tonight, one who is 3-0 in his last four starts with a 1.69 ERA.
Carmona was rocked by Tampa in his last start, also at home, an outing in which he allowed five earned runs and walked five batters in 1.1 innings. He's 0-2 in four home starts this season with a 5.66 ERA, a number that's just a shade better than his 6.42 ERA on the year. The righthander has allowed 91 baserunners (56 hits, 35 walks) in 56.2 innings so far. And Carmona has never fared well against the Yankees, posting a 4.61 ERA in seven outings against New York, four of them starts.
With New York on a 13-3 run, Jorge Posada back in action (two hits last night), Mark Teixeira (.409 average, 8 homers, 23 RBIs during the winning streak) enjoying A-Rod's protection in the line-up, and Sabathia on another one of his rolls, this is an ideal spot to take a big favorite and reduce the price -- putting the odds in our favor - by playing the Yankees on the Run Line.
Robert Ferringo
Take Chicago Cubs (-145) over L.A. Dodgers
Take N.Y. Yankees (-165) over Cleveland
Take Texas (-150) over Oakland
Take St. Louis (-150) over San Francisco
Take Philadelphia (-1.5, -125) over Washington
Take Boston (+105) over Toronto
Take Chicago White Sox (-105) over Kansas City
Today's Totals
Take ‘Over’ 10.0 L.A. Dodgers at Chicago Cubs
Take ‘Over’ 9.5 Boston at Toronto
Take ‘Under’ 8.5 Chicago White Sox at Kansas City
Take ‘Over’ 9.0 Atlanta at Arizona
Take ‘Over’ 9.0 Minnesota at Tampa Bay
Take ‘Under’ 8.5 Seattle at L.A. Angels
Take Chicago Cubs (-145) over L.A. Dodgers
Take N.Y. Yankees (-165) over Cleveland
Take Texas (-150) over Oakland
Take St. Louis (-150) over San Francisco
Take Philadelphia (-1.5, -125) over Washington
Take Boston (+105) over Toronto
Take Chicago White Sox (-105) over Kansas City
Today's Totals
Take ‘Over’ 10.0 L.A. Dodgers at Chicago Cubs
Take ‘Over’ 9.5 Boston at Toronto
Take ‘Under’ 8.5 Chicago White Sox at Kansas City
Take ‘Over’ 9.0 Atlanta at Arizona
Take ‘Over’ 9.0 Minnesota at Tampa Bay
Take ‘Under’ 8.5 Seattle at L.A. Angels
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