INSIDE THE LINES
THURSDAY, APRIL 16
Updated by 2:00 P.M. Eastern Weekdays
Updated by 9:00 A.M. Eastern Weekends
NATIONAL LEAGUE
San Diego (6-3) at N.Y. Mets (4-4)
The Mets send right-hander John Maine (0-0, 3.60 ERA) to the Citi Field mound to wrap up their home-opening three-game series against the Padres, who will start ace right-hander Jake Peavy (1-1, 3.52).
After taking Tuesday off following the Padres’ 6-5 win Monday night, New York bounced back with a 7-2 victory Wednesday, scoring five runs in its final two at-bats to post its first victory at Citi Field and end San Diego’s five-game winning streak. The Mets are on a 10-2 run against teams from the N.L. West, and they’ve won nine of their last 10 Thursday contests. The Padres are still on rolls of 5-1 overall and 4-1 against the N.L. East, but they also carry lengthy negative streaks of 17-38 on the road against right-handed starters and 16-37 in the third game of a series.
San Diego, which won five of seven games last year in this rivalry, is now 8-3 in the last 11 meetings, though New York has gone 10-4 in the last 14 clashes in the Big Apple.
Maine got a no-decision in his first outing of the year, a 5-4 loss at Florida in which he allowed two runs on two hits (both solo homers), with one walk and five strikeouts in five innings. He went 10-8 last year with a 4.18 ERA in 25 starts, including 5-2 with a 4.76 ERA in 11 home outings, though he missed the final five weeks of the season with a shoulder injury.
Maine has a pair of no-decisions in his two career starts against the Padres, posting an inflated 5.40 ERA, with both appearances coming in the 2007 season. The Mets have gone 9-4 in Maine’s last 13 home starts, 6-1 in his last seven Game 3 outings and 4-1 with the righty throwing on five days of rest.
Peavy has gone deep into both his starts this year, logging seven innings in a 4-1 home loss to the Dodgers on Opening Day, then going 8 1/3 innings in a 6-3 home win over the Giants on Saturday. In the latter outing, he allowed three runs on seven hits and no walks, with 10 strikeouts, giving him 18 Ks for the season in 15 1/3 innings. Peavy was a middling 10-11 last year despite a 2.85 ERA, going 5-6 with a 4.28 ERA on the highway.
Peavy is 4-2 with a 3.32 ERA in nine career starts against the Mets, though like Maine, he hasn’t faced New York since 2007. The Pads are 7-3 in Peavy’s last 10 Thursday starts, but with their ace on the hill, they are also on slides of 2-5 on the road and 6-13 against the N.L. East.
The over is on a bundle of runs for New York, including 17-9-1 at home, 10-3-3 with Maine starting, 7-0-1 behind Maine at home and 19-7-1 in Thursday games. The over for the Padres is on streaks of 4-1 overall, 4-1 on the highway and 13-5-1 in Peavy’s last 19 road starts. Finally, in this rivalry, the “over” is on stretches of 4-1 overall, 7-2 in New York and 4-1 with Peavy facing the Mets.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
AMERICAN LEAGUE
L.A. Angels (3-5) at Seattle (7-2)
The Mariners, off to a strong start after losing a major league-worst 101 games last year, send rookie Chris Jakubauskas (1-0, 4.50 ERA) to the Safeco Field mound against fellow lefty Joe Saunders (1-1, 2.63) and the Angels to cap a three-game series.
On the strength of three home runs, including one from Ken Griffey Jr. and a grand slam from Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle powered its way to a sixth consecutive victory with an 11-3 rout of the Angels. The Mariners have surrendered a total of just 14 runs during their six-game streak, and they’ve now held fie of their first nine foes to three runs or fewer. Dating to last season, Seattle has won five straight home games, seven in a row against the A.L. West, five straight against lefty starters and fie straight as an underdog.
Los Angeles is just 2-6 in its last eight division contests and 1-5 in its last six versus winning teams, but the Halos have won eight of their last 12 on the highway. Also, despite dropping the first two games of this series, the Angels are still 35-17 in the last 52 meetings with the M’s, including 7-3 in the last 10 battles in Seattle.
Jakubauskas, who spent the last four years in independent baseball leagues, earned a roster spot with a stellar spring and he’s started his big-league career with two relief appearances, pitching two innings each at Minnesota on April 8 and at Oakland on Friday. The 6-foot-2 right-hander allowed a total of two runs on three hits in those four innings.
Saunders came up short at home Saturday against the Red Sox, taking the loss in a 5-4 setback in which he allowed four runs on seven hits and three walks in seven innings, as the Angels ended a seven-game winning streak with the lefty on the hill. Saunders was a solid 17-7 with a 3.41 ERA in 31 starts last year, including 10-3 with a sparkling 2.55 ERA in 15 road efforts.
Saunders is 4-1 with a 4.61 ERA in seven career starts against the Mariners, including 3-0 with a 3.29 ERA in four outings last year, with two of the wins coming at Seattle. The Angels are on numerous runs when Saunders takes the ball, including 39-16 overall, 19-7 on the highway, 21-7 against winning teams, 4-0 in division play and 5-1 with the southpaw favored.
The over for Seattle is on stretches of 8-3 in the A.L. West, 6-2 at home and 6-2 against lefty starters, and the over for Los Angeles is on streaks of 5-1-1 overall and 8-3 in division games. Also, in this rivalry, the total has gone high in 11 of the last 14 clashes in Seattle.
ATS ADVANTAGE: L.A. ANGELS and OVER
THURSDAY, APRIL 16
Updated by 2:00 P.M. Eastern Weekdays
Updated by 9:00 A.M. Eastern Weekends
NATIONAL LEAGUE
San Diego (6-3) at N.Y. Mets (4-4)
The Mets send right-hander John Maine (0-0, 3.60 ERA) to the Citi Field mound to wrap up their home-opening three-game series against the Padres, who will start ace right-hander Jake Peavy (1-1, 3.52).
After taking Tuesday off following the Padres’ 6-5 win Monday night, New York bounced back with a 7-2 victory Wednesday, scoring five runs in its final two at-bats to post its first victory at Citi Field and end San Diego’s five-game winning streak. The Mets are on a 10-2 run against teams from the N.L. West, and they’ve won nine of their last 10 Thursday contests. The Padres are still on rolls of 5-1 overall and 4-1 against the N.L. East, but they also carry lengthy negative streaks of 17-38 on the road against right-handed starters and 16-37 in the third game of a series.
San Diego, which won five of seven games last year in this rivalry, is now 8-3 in the last 11 meetings, though New York has gone 10-4 in the last 14 clashes in the Big Apple.
Maine got a no-decision in his first outing of the year, a 5-4 loss at Florida in which he allowed two runs on two hits (both solo homers), with one walk and five strikeouts in five innings. He went 10-8 last year with a 4.18 ERA in 25 starts, including 5-2 with a 4.76 ERA in 11 home outings, though he missed the final five weeks of the season with a shoulder injury.
Maine has a pair of no-decisions in his two career starts against the Padres, posting an inflated 5.40 ERA, with both appearances coming in the 2007 season. The Mets have gone 9-4 in Maine’s last 13 home starts, 6-1 in his last seven Game 3 outings and 4-1 with the righty throwing on five days of rest.
Peavy has gone deep into both his starts this year, logging seven innings in a 4-1 home loss to the Dodgers on Opening Day, then going 8 1/3 innings in a 6-3 home win over the Giants on Saturday. In the latter outing, he allowed three runs on seven hits and no walks, with 10 strikeouts, giving him 18 Ks for the season in 15 1/3 innings. Peavy was a middling 10-11 last year despite a 2.85 ERA, going 5-6 with a 4.28 ERA on the highway.
Peavy is 4-2 with a 3.32 ERA in nine career starts against the Mets, though like Maine, he hasn’t faced New York since 2007. The Pads are 7-3 in Peavy’s last 10 Thursday starts, but with their ace on the hill, they are also on slides of 2-5 on the road and 6-13 against the N.L. East.
The over is on a bundle of runs for New York, including 17-9-1 at home, 10-3-3 with Maine starting, 7-0-1 behind Maine at home and 19-7-1 in Thursday games. The over for the Padres is on streaks of 4-1 overall, 4-1 on the highway and 13-5-1 in Peavy’s last 19 road starts. Finally, in this rivalry, the “over” is on stretches of 4-1 overall, 7-2 in New York and 4-1 with Peavy facing the Mets.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
AMERICAN LEAGUE
L.A. Angels (3-5) at Seattle (7-2)
The Mariners, off to a strong start after losing a major league-worst 101 games last year, send rookie Chris Jakubauskas (1-0, 4.50 ERA) to the Safeco Field mound against fellow lefty Joe Saunders (1-1, 2.63) and the Angels to cap a three-game series.
On the strength of three home runs, including one from Ken Griffey Jr. and a grand slam from Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle powered its way to a sixth consecutive victory with an 11-3 rout of the Angels. The Mariners have surrendered a total of just 14 runs during their six-game streak, and they’ve now held fie of their first nine foes to three runs or fewer. Dating to last season, Seattle has won five straight home games, seven in a row against the A.L. West, five straight against lefty starters and fie straight as an underdog.
Los Angeles is just 2-6 in its last eight division contests and 1-5 in its last six versus winning teams, but the Halos have won eight of their last 12 on the highway. Also, despite dropping the first two games of this series, the Angels are still 35-17 in the last 52 meetings with the M’s, including 7-3 in the last 10 battles in Seattle.
Jakubauskas, who spent the last four years in independent baseball leagues, earned a roster spot with a stellar spring and he’s started his big-league career with two relief appearances, pitching two innings each at Minnesota on April 8 and at Oakland on Friday. The 6-foot-2 right-hander allowed a total of two runs on three hits in those four innings.
Saunders came up short at home Saturday against the Red Sox, taking the loss in a 5-4 setback in which he allowed four runs on seven hits and three walks in seven innings, as the Angels ended a seven-game winning streak with the lefty on the hill. Saunders was a solid 17-7 with a 3.41 ERA in 31 starts last year, including 10-3 with a sparkling 2.55 ERA in 15 road efforts.
Saunders is 4-1 with a 4.61 ERA in seven career starts against the Mariners, including 3-0 with a 3.29 ERA in four outings last year, with two of the wins coming at Seattle. The Angels are on numerous runs when Saunders takes the ball, including 39-16 overall, 19-7 on the highway, 21-7 against winning teams, 4-0 in division play and 5-1 with the southpaw favored.
The over for Seattle is on stretches of 8-3 in the A.L. West, 6-2 at home and 6-2 against lefty starters, and the over for Los Angeles is on streaks of 5-1-1 overall and 8-3 in division games. Also, in this rivalry, the total has gone high in 11 of the last 14 clashes in Seattle.
ATS ADVANTAGE: L.A. ANGELS and OVER
