Thursday 6/23/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SPOT PLAYS

For Thursday


TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE


Belmont Park (4th) Tracking Stock, 3-1
(6th) Dicey Flats, 3-1

Belterra Park (6th) Jigsaw, 7-2
(8th) Mr. Shipman, 7-2

Canterbury Park (7th) Smooth Stroke, 5-1
(8th) Cupid's Delight, 3-1


Charles Town (2nd) Normal Practice, 9-2
(5th) Spanish Prospector, 9-2


Churchill Downs (3rd) Goats Town, 7-2
(6th) Indygo Bo, 4-1


Delaware Park (5th) Obsess, 3-1
(6th) Warrioroftheroses, 4-1


Evangeline Downs (2nd) Flashy Lynn, 5-1
(8th) Zendelphian, 4-1


Finger Lakes (2nd) Qusaichi, 4-1
(5th) Princess Alisha, 3-1


Gulfstream Park (2nd) Feeling Awesome, 7-2
(5th) Love Flute, 6-1


Louisiana Downs (5th) Eddie's Deal, 3-1
(7th) Theboyzpic, 8-1


Penn National (3rd) Grey Gator, 8-1
(6th) H K's Merida, 7-2


Pimlico (2nd) Joey Whispers, 9-2
(7th) La Nina, 7-2


Pleasanton (6th) Intaxication, 3-1
(8th) Im Your Pulpet, 5-1


Prairie Meadows (5th) Last Straw, 3-1
(9th) Vandalia Vixen, 9-2


Presque Isle Downs (4th) Chickaletta, 3-1
(5th) Final Forest, 3-1


Santa Anita (6th) I B Mike, 3-1
(7th) Tough Emblem, 4-1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

June Pitchers Report
By Marc Lawrence

You know the saying, “May flowers bring June showers.”

For Major League Baseball pitchers hurling during the month of June, showers are hopefully not in their immediate plans. Instead, it’s the hope of all MLB starting pitchers to stay around long enough in their starts to avoid having to clean up and go home early.

Listed below are hurlers that have enjoyed a two-to-one or better success ratio in team-starts over the course of the last three seasons during the month of June. On the flip side, we've also listed pitchers that struggle in June, winning 33% percent or less of their team-start efforts.

To qualify pitchers must have made a minimum of 10 starts, with at least one start each June over the last three years. And for your convenience alongside each record we break down each pitcher’s greatest success or greatest failure rate either home (H) or away (A) within his good or bad month.

Note: * designates a categorical repeat appearance by this pitcher, maintaining status quo from last season’s June list.


GOOD MONTH PITCHERS:

Arrieta, Jake - 8-4 (6-2 A)

Only Clayton Kershaw has been in Arrieta's stratosphere since 2015. The right-hander is in the right organization which has allowed his abundant talents to flourish and this season opposing batters are hitting a mere .168 against him. His effortless delivery and mid-90's fastball causes a lot of swings and misses as does his breaking pitches.

Cole, Gerrit - 10-2 (6-0 A)

Cole is now the ace of the Pittsburgh staff and expertly commands a two and four-seam fastball in the mid to upper 90's which he can sink or have riding action. After a sluggish start to season, his ERA is down to close to 2.50 and expect him to have another fine month. Note: Cole’s numbers above reflect his career team mark during June.

*Colon, Bartolo - 10-5 (7-0 H)

The 43-year old right-hander just keeps churning along on staff that is very talented and youthful. Colon knows how and where to spot his fastball, which he tosses 70 or more percent of the time and blends in a quick slider that has excellent depth. The fact is Colon understands his craft and wins.

Lackey, John - 11-5 (6-1 H)

Remember for years no pitcher in his right mind would want to pitch at Wrigley Field, now they line up for the chance. Being a talented young team helps and Lackey is the right fit, with fastball he keeps low in the zone and sinker opposing hitters cannot elevate. Through two months, the batter's Lackey has faced are at a lowly .209 batting average and his WHIP is sick 0.97.

Sanchez, Anibal - 9-4 (8-3 H)

The Detroit hurler has gotten off to a rugged start with ERA over 6 as June began. Sanchez's problems revolve around lack of pitch placement, not even having 2-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio and giving up more than a hit an inning. Of the 58 hits allowed, 11 have left the yard and if the Tigers are going to be contenders in the AL Central, Sanchez will have to throw like previous June's.

*Scherzer, Max - 11-4 (6-2 A)

If you research Mad Max's numbers, many are at or below career norm, yet he begins this month with an ERA over 4. The problem is too many pitches right down the middle, which is why he on pace to give up 45 home runs (15 thru May). If Scherzer solves this, he will have a great rest of the year.

Tillman, Chris - 11-3 (4-1 A)

After an off year in 2015, the Orioles righty has come back in a big way. When he's at his best like he has been this year, Tillman works his low 90's heater at the knees on both sides of the dish and his curve and changeup have sharp downward motion. He starts this month with hitters at .203 batting average versus his tosses.

Volquez, Edinson - 11-5 (7-1 A)

The Royals right-hander is doing what he does best, as in nine of his 11 starts for Kansas City he has induced double digit groundball outs. Volquez is still thought to be a power pitcher and gets numerous weak swings with tilted curve and deluxe changeup he will throw on any count.

*Zimmermann, Jordan - 12-5 (8-3 H)

After an unbelievable start, Zimmermann has drifted back to the previous career numbers. He pulled a groin late last month, but is expected to make start on June 3rd and continue from that point. His strengths include four pitches he trusts to throw for strikes and he has shown greater durability thus far in the AL.


BAD MONTH PITCHERS:

Miller, Shelby - 6-12 (2-6 A)

After disastrous start with Arizona, having ERA over 7, maybe a trip to the DL with bad finger on throwing hand will settle Miller down, who looks like he is trying to throw a no-hitter on every pitch and is getting hammered. The talent has always been in place, just not the execution as this record shows. Note: Miller’s numbers above reflect his career team mark during June.

Verlander, Justin - 4-10 (2-5 H)

No longer equipped with high 90's fastball, Verlander tends to give up runs in bunches these days. He can be sailing along for three to five innings and then give up three or four runs in single inning. Without the necessary secondary pitches, he's become easier to hit a third time through the lineup.

Weaver, Jered - 5-10 (1-6 A)

It is sometimes tough to watch former aces who were among the best in the game, as their stuff is in decline and they are not close to what they used to be. This is the case of Weaver, whose fastball barely reaches 85 MPH, which makes his breaking ball and assortment of change-ups less effective. It is no accident at this juncture hitters are clocking him for .311 BA.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NL Value Starters
By Joe Nelson

There are several months to go but it is easy to be excited about the National League playoffs given how stacked the league is with power arms and elite starting pitching.

The American League All Star team will have an unenviable task next month as Terry Collins will be able to trot out a truly elite starter in every inning if he wants to.

As the separation grows between the contenders and the rest of the league the cost to support the elite starters on quality teams will continue to grow.

Ultimately identifying quality starters at lower price points will be the key to having success in the National League given how steep the prices will be on the starters for the Cubs, Nationals, Giants, and Mets, as well obviously Clayton Kershaw.

There are several National League starters that project a few tiers down that still can offer some promising potential on many nights while falling in line at costs that are much easier to stomach in most matchups.

Here are a handful of possible value starters in the NL for the coming weeks.

Jerad Eickhoff (Philadelphia Phillies): Aaron Nola was the dominant starter for the Phillies in the first two months of the season and remains the highest priced starter in that rotation. It was Eickhoff that wowed in eight starts last season however and after some ups-and-downs in April he is starting to put it together again in 2016. Eickhoff is almost 26 and he won’t be on a sharp innings watch like Nola or Vincent Velasquez in the Phillies rotation and he has allowed three or fewer runs in seven of his last eight starts. Eickhoff owns a better than 3:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and despite his 4-8 record he has picked up a win in three of his last five starts after starting the season 1-6. His ERA is just 3.40 with a FIP that is only slightly higher and his walks and home runs allowed have been kept in check of late. With a limited offense the Phillies are sometimes tough to support but the team has still won 30 games with similar home and road results and Eickhoff might be the best pitcher to support for the Phillies with the ‘under’ also looking playable in many of his upcoming starts.

Michael Wacha (St. Louis Cardinals): Wacha looked like he was on the superstar fast track starring for the Cardinals late in the 2013 season and in the playoffs. Injuries derailed him in 2014 but he had a fine 2015 season for the 100-win Cardinals. Wacha has already taken as many losses as he did last season at 2-7 but his FIP is 3.51, significantly lower than his season FIP was in 2015 when he wound up 17-7 with a 3.38 ERA. The Cardinals had a slow start to the season but the team is rounding back into form and while catching the Cubs might be a challenge in the NL Central this certainly looks like a team poised to claim a wild card spot. Wacha’s marginal numbers will lead to reasonable pricing to support him even though he is still capable of a dominant outing. The schedule has worked against Wacha as since mid-May his starts have come against the Rockies, Cubs, Nationals, Giants, Pirates, and Rangers, taking on some of baseball’s best offensive teams. Even so he has a quality start in three of his last four outings and he offers great promise the rest of the season at discounted pricing compared to the lines he drew last season.

Bartolo Colon (New York Mets): Backing Noah Syndergaard or Steven Matz is certainly more comforting but Colon’s prices are sharply discounted on the following nights for the Mets. The 43-year old is occasionally the butt of jokes but there is nothing funny about the success he is having against NL hitters. Colon has delivered five consecutive starts with two or fewer runs allowed and his ERA is down to just 3.01. He owns a better than 4:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and while he gives up a lot of hits, he usually escapes with limited damage and he has only allowed two home runs over his last six starts. The Mets are 8-4 in his last 12 starts and with New York possessing an unreliable offense Colon can be supported at a much more reasonable price than the rest of the rotation, avoiding the risk of laying -200 or greater behind an offense that is often sweating out one-run games.

Jake Peavy (San Francisco Giants): While it seems like Jake Peavy has been around forever he is only freshly 35 and could have a few solid years remaining in his career. Peavy is 3-6 with a 5.83 ERA but after a rocky start to the season he has been pretty reliable in recent weeks. His season FIP is a much more respectable 4.16 and his ERA is only 1.82 over his last four starts. Peavy is still getting nearly seven strikeouts per nine innings and after allowing six home runs in his first six starts of the season he has allowed just two in his last seven starts. Everyone would prefer to support Madison Bumgarner or Johnny Cueto but Peavy might be the value option to support a Giants squad that scores nearly 4.5 runs per game despite playing in a pitching-friendly ballpark, while also playing strong defense and generally looking like one of the best teams in baseball.

Zach Davies (Milwaukee Brewers): Davies hasn’t been considered a high ceiling prospect and with his small frame he was only a 26th round draft pick by the Orioles in 2011. Davies is only 23 however and after a shaky April he has emerged as a reliable option in the Milwaukee rotation. Davies has a K/9 of 8.3 over the last month while turning in four straight quality starts. Davies has actually allowed six or fewer hits in 10 consecutive starts and while he has been a little fortunate with a low .262 BABIP on the season his command has been strong with a low walk rate. Davies seems to have solved Miller Park which typically is a tough venue for pitchers as he owns a 2.88 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP in eight home starts with the Brewers winning five of those games. While Milwaukee isn’t likely to be a playoff contender the Brewers have a winning home record and Milwaukee has played above .500 ball since the calendar turned to May as this has been a competitive team that is still frequently getting solid underdog pricing.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB roundup: Cardinals complete sweep of Cubs
By The Sports Xchange

CHICAGO -- Michael Wacha snapped a personal streak of 10 straight starts without a win while the St. Louis Cardinals completed their first series sweep at Wrigley Field in 28 years by beating the Chicago Cubs 7-2 on Wednesday.
Wacha allowed two runs on three hits over 6 2/3 innings as he broke a personal seven-game losing streak that dated back to late April.
Cubs starter Jake Arrieta took the loss after a season-low-tying five-inning effort. He gave up two runs (one earned) on four hits while walking four and striking out six.
The Cardinals (38-33) won their third straight and claimed their first three-game sweep in Chicago since May 17-19, 1988. The Cubs (47-23) saw their losing streak reach three.
Wacha last won on April 23, when the Cardinals beat the Padres 11-2. A hard-luck streak of seven losses and three no-decisions followed.

Astros 3, Angels 2
HOUSTON -- Marwin Gonzalez's RBI triple in the eighth inning provided the go-ahead run to help the Astros complete a three-game sweep of Los Angeles.
Gonzalez plated George Springer with a 435-foot blast that put Houston ahead 2-1. Gonzalez then scored on a Carlos Correa groundout to make it 3-1.
The Astros (37-36) saddled Angels right-hander Matt Shoemaker (3-8) with the loss despite his stellar performance. Shoemaker did not allow a hit until there were two outs in the fourth inning and carried a shutout into the sixth before Jose Altuve smacked a solo home run.
Luke Gregerson (2-1) picked up a second consecutive win in relief and fellow right-hander Will Harris earned his sixth save.

Yankees 9, Rockies 8
NEW YORK -- Starlin Castro led off the bottom of the ninth with a home run as the Yankees blew an early four-run deficit and rallied for a victory.
The Yankees recorded their second walk-off win of the season and won for the fourth time in their last 10 games when Castro drove an 0-1 breaking ball from Jason Motte (0-1) into the left field seats.
It was Castro's sixth career game-ending hit and first walk-off home run.
The Yankees used their hard-throwing late-inning trio of Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman. They combined to get six strikeouts and Chapman (1-0) picked up the win by striking out DJ LeMahieu on a 102-mph pitch.

Mets 4, Royals 3
NEW YORK -- Matt Reynolds belted his first career home run to snap a tie in the sixth inning as New York beat Kansas City.
The Mets swept the two-game World Series rematch from the Royals and finished 3-1 this season against Kansas City, which won last year's Fall Classic in five games.
Reynolds, who played left field for the first time as a professional, struck out in his first two at-bats before homering to the opposite field off Joakim Soria (3-3) with two outs in the sixth. The homer made a winner out of Noah Syndergaard (8-2).

Marlins 3, Braves 0
MIAMI -- Adam Conley pitched eight scoreless innings and Justin Bour blasted a two-run homer as Miami finally defeated last-place Atlanta.
The Marlins improved to 1-4 against the Braves this year at Marlins Park. Atlanta has won six of eight games overall against Miami this season.
Conley (4-4) threw 114 pitches -- two short of his season high. He held Atlanta to four hits, one hit-by-pitch, one wild pitch and one walk, striking out four.

Blue Jays 5, Diamondbacks 2
TORONTO -- Russell Martin, Edwin Encarnacion and Troy Tulowitzki homered, J.A. Happ pitched five innings and the Blue Jays ended a three-game losing streak.
The Blue Jays gained a split in the two-game series and ended a five-game winning streak by the Diamondbacks.
Toronto starter Happ (9-3) allowed six hits, four walks and two earned runs in five inning. Roberto Osuna pitched a perfect ninth to earn his 14th save of the season.
Arizona starter Robbie Ray (4-6) allowed a three-run homer to Martin and a solo shot to Encarnacion to account for all four runs he allowed in 5 1/3 innings.

Brewers 4, Athletics 2
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Junior Guerra pitched seven strong innings, Scooter Gennett and Kirk Nieuwenhuis homered, and the Milwaukee Brewers ended their four-game losing streak.
Guerra (4-1), a 31-year old rookie from Venezuela, gave up two runs on five hits in his 10th career major league start. Gennett went 3-for-5 with a two-run shot in the fifth inning, and Nieuwenhuis had a solo home run in the eighth.
A's rookie-right hander Daniel Mengden (0-3) gave up three runs on seven hits over six innings in his third career major league start. Coco Crisp went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and a double for the A's.

Indians 6, Rays 1
CLEVELAND -- Trevor Bauer pitched a three-hitter for his second career complete game, and Carlos Santana had two hits and two RBIs as Cleveland completed a three-game sweep with a win over Tampa Bay at Progressive Field.
The Indians, who also got a two-run home run from Jason Kipnis, have won six games in a row overall and 11 in a row at home. Tampa Bay lost its seventh in a row.
Rays starter Chris Archer pitched six innings, giving up four runs on six hits and two walks. He fanned five.

Orioles 7, Padres 2
BALTIMORE -- Mark Trumbo and Ryan Flaherty both homered, and starter Ubaldo Jimenez threw six strong innings as Baltimore defeated San Diego.
Trumbo had not homered since June 7 but hit a solo shot in the second inning, his 21st this season. Flaherty added a solo homer to start the fifth, and six Orioles each drove in at least one run.
Matt Wieters led the way with two RBIs while Hyun Soo Kim, Chris Davis, Jonathan Schoop, Trumbo and Flaherty each drove in a run.

Tigers 5, Mariners 1
DETROIT -- Rookie Steven Moya hit a pair of home runs and veteran Miguel Cabrera added one Wednesday night to take over sole possession of 49th place on the all-time home run list and power Detroit over Seattle.
Moya, subbing for injured right fielder J.D. Martinez for at least a month, cracked both home runs off Hisashi Iwakuma (6-6), who gave up the three home runs among the 11 hits he allowed in his 4 2/3 innings.
Kyle Ryan got the win after he came on with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth and struck out pinch-hitter Franklin Gutierrez and got Robinson Cano to ground out to end the inning. He worked a three-batter sixth before turning the game over to Shane Greene, Justin Wilson and Francisco Rodriguez for an inning each. None of the four relievers gave up a hit, and starter Michael Fulmer gave up just three.

White Sox 8, Red Sox 6
BOSTON -- Melky Cabrera and Brett Lawrie homered in the eighth inning to give the White Sox a win over the Red Sox, Chicago's third victory over Boston in as many nights.
Cabrera, who doubled home a first-inning run and added an RBI single on his fourth hit of the game in the ninth, connected on a two-run shot to tie the game with out in the eighth against reliever Koji Uehara. One out later, Lawrie connected off Uehara (2-3).
Hanley Ramirez, dropped to seventh in Boston's batting order, snapped a 4-4 tie with a solo homer in the sixth, and Xander Bogaerts drove in his third run of the game later in the inning. Bogaerts finished 3-for-5.

Rangers 6, Reds 4
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Cole Hamels (8-1) pitched six innings of one-run ball, just what Texas needed after learning before the game that two starters were headed to the disabled list.
While the injuries to Colby Lewis and Derek Holland may eventually slow down the American League leaders, Hamels once again proved the value of an ace. He struck out eight and walked two and yielded five hits.
Ian Desmond and Shin-Soo Choo drilled solo home runs, and Prince Fielder drove in two for Texas, which split the two-game interleague series after having a seven-game win streak snapped the day before.

Giants 7, Pirates 6
PITTSBURGH -- Joe Panik's two-run, sixth-inning double finished off San Francisco's comeback from a five-run deficit, and the Giants withstood three Pittsburgh homers in the first three innings to beat the Pirates.
Ramiro Pena also drove in two runs as the Giants rebounded from a 6-1 deficit in the fourth to win their 10th in 11 games and their second in as many nights. San Francisco collected 22 runs and 34 hits in the two wins.
Gregory Polanco hit a three-run homer in the second inning during a three-hit night, but the Pirates still dropped their seventh in eight games and 12th in 14 games. They have gone from nine games over .500 on May 27 to four games under .500 while losing 19 of 25.

Twins 6, Phillies 5
MINNEAPOLIS -- Max Kepler's seventh-inning sacrifice fly provided Minnesota with the winning run in a victory over Philadelphia at Target Field.
With the game tied at 5, the Twins got back-to-back, one-out singles from Trevor Plouffe and Eduardo Escobar to put runners on the corners. Kepler lifted a fly ball to medium-deep left field, and Plouffe tagged up and beat left fielder Cody Asche's throw home for the lead run.
Taylor Rogers (3-0) earned the win for Minnesota, pitching one shutout inning in relief of starter Kyle Gibson.

Dodgers 4, Nationals 3
LOS ANGELES -- With the Dodgers trailing 3-2 and a runner on first in the bottom of the ninth, Yasiel Puig singled and made it all the way around the bases thanks to an outfield error, giving Los Angeles a 4-3 walk-off win against Washington. Thanks to the bizarre finish, the Dodgers completed a three-game series sweep.
After Joc Pederson struck out to open the ninth, pinch hitter Howie Kendrick singled off Shawn Kelley (1-1). Puig then hit a single to center field, and the ball rolled underneath Michael Taylor's glove, allowing both runners to score.
Corey Seager finished with three hits, including a home run, for the Dodgers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Giants (46-27) at Pirates (34-38)

Game: 4
Venue: PNC Park
Date: June 23, 2016 12:35 PM EDT

PITTSBURGH -- Jonathon Niese is pitching much like the Pittsburgh Pirates are playing this season.

Good one night. Not so good the next.

The left-handers 4.74 ERA in 14 starts would be one of the highest on some major league staffs, but it's actually the lowest among the Pirates' starters.

They're counting on him to lower it -- and keep them competitive -- when they play the San Francisco Giants on Thursday following a recent string of poorly pitched games.

Niese (6-4) will oppose Giants rookie right-hander Albert Suarez (2-1), who will be making his fourth major league start. Suarez, replacing the injured Matt Cain in the Giants' rotation, has a 3.69 ERA in six combined appearances this season. He's not allowed a homer in his eight career appearances.

That certainly wasn't the case for Giants right-hander Jeff Samardzija, who gave up a homer in each of the first three innings as San Francisco fell behind the Pirates 6-1 on Wednesday night.

But Francisco Liriano, whose struggles have mirrored those of the Pirates' staff of late, gave up four runs over five innings, and reliever Jared Hughes came on to give up three runs in the sixth, finished off by Joe Panik's two-run double, and the Giants won their 10th in 11 games, 7-6.

The Pirates dropped their 12th in 14 games, a losing run marked by poor starting pitching. The night before, Pirates rookie Wilfredo Boscan yielded seven runs in three-plus innings as the Giants pounded out a major league season-high 22 hits in winning 15-4.

"As a group, they're starting to get better and better," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said of his hitters, who've put up 34 hits in two games. "You see the numbers going up and up, (and) we're clicking a little bit better offensively."

And, in more bad news for the Pirates, right-hander Gerrit Cole -- the staff ace -- won't be ready to come off the disabled list when he's eligible on Sunday as he mends from a triceps injury.

So a strong start from Niese would be a big help before the Pirates begin a three-game weekend series at PNC Park against the Los Angeles Dodgers, with ace left-hander Clayton Kershaw likely pitching either Saturday or Sunday.

How do they get out of this?

"We just have to focus and get in here early every day," Pittsburgh outfielder Gregory Polanco said. "We have to play it game by game. We can't focus on the past. We have to focus on tomorrow and come in ready to win (Thursday)."

Polanco had a three-run homer among his three hits Wednesday.

Niese gave up four runs in 5 1/3 innings in losing his last start against the Chicago Cubs 4-3 on Saturday.

His last win came against his former club June 7, when he pitched seven shutout innings in beating the New York Mets 3-1. He then proceeded to lose to the Cardinals 8-3 on June 12 during his last start at PNC Park. He is 2-3 with a 2.51 ERA in nine career appearances against San Francisco.

Might help be on the way soon? The Pirates are intentionally taking their time bringing up their top pitching prospects, although they did bring up right-hander Jameson Taillon on June 8.

But right-hander Tyler Glasnow is getting closer to the majors, throwing a combined 12 no-hit innings in his last two starts -- seven on Wednesday night and five on Friday, though he has walked 16 in his last 17 innings.

It would help the Pirates if they started getting more consistent offense from former Nationa League MVP Andrew McCutchen, who is hitting .174 (8-of-46) with 15 strikeouts in his last 12 games.

The Pirates also might get back left fielder Starling Marte, who sat out Wednesday with left leg discomfort. He grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning.

"He could hit and if he would've gotten on base, we would've pitch ran for him, but he was good to swing the bat," manager Clint Hurdle said.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mariners (36-36) at Tigers (37-35)

Game: 4
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: June 23, 2016 1:10 PM EDT

DETROIT -- Reformatted rotations come into play Thursday afternoon when the Detroit Tigers host the Seattle Mariners in the finale of a four-game series.

Seattle has right-hander Adrian Sampson (0-1, 7.71 ERA) making his second start, as the Mariners are missing three starters from their usual rotation. Sampson will oppose Tigers lefty Daniel Norris, who will make his first major league start of the year.

The Mariners hopes to have Wade Miley (left shoulder impingement) back soon and then Felix Hernandez (strained right calf). On Wednesday, Seattle obtained lefty Wade LeBlanc from the Toronto Blue Jays' organization, and he will start Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals in place of right-hander Taijuan Walker, who is battling a sore right foot.

"Wade is throwing about as well as anybody in Triple-A this year," Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto told MLB.com. "He was available, and we snapped him up. He provides us with an experienced hand, and he's left-handed, which is something we don't have in our depth. So he gives us another internal option."

Like most teams, Seattle could use additional bullpen help, and toward that end, the team signed free agent former Mariners reliever Tom Wilhelmsen on Wednesday. He pitched well for Seattle in the past but struggled with Texas after being traded to the Rangers between seasons.

"We feel it was some combination of confidence, command and pitch selection," Dipoto said of Wilhelmsen. "I don't know if we're any more magical than the Rangers in tapping that, but Tom has worked well here before, his teammates trust him, and all the staff and everyone who've worked with him for years really like him."

Norris, who sparkled last season as a trade deadline acquisition from Toronto, will be called up from Triple-A Toledo to fill the rotation hole created when lefty Matt Boyd was optioned out. Norris pitched one scoreless inning in his lone major league appearance of the year, May 12 at Baltimore. He is 4-6 with a 4.66 ERA in 13 minor league starts.

The Tigers are being coy about exactly what their plans are, but they either will skip rookie right-hander Michael Fulmer altogether or occasionally push his starts back a day or three from now through mid-July or later.

Manager Brad Ausmus is returning Anibal Sanchez to the rotation from the bullpen after Jordan Zimmermann starts Friday night. Justin Verlander will follow Sanchez, the Tigers are off Monday, and Mike Pelfrey will pitch Tuesday on extra rest. Pelfrey will be available out of the bullpen during the weekend.

It will be at least six days of not pitching before Fulmer makes his next start, and with the day off, Ausmus could go back to Norris on normal rest and slot his rookie in wherever he wants.

"You've got to take the long view," Ausmus said of the team trying to control Fulmer's innings. "If we can get him a few less innings now but still have him available the last month of the season, I think that's probably the smarter way to go.

"We've looked really through the mid- towards the end of July.

"We'd like to not be caught where we have to shut him down. That's why you'd want to use caution now, to avoid that later."

What the rotation revamp also amounts to is an open audition for Norris, Sanchez and Pelfrey. One of those three won't be starting when Ausmus slides Fulmer back into the rotation.

"We'll just see how the guys pitch and then we'll make a decision," Ausmus said. "Despite his so-so outing the other day, Pelfrey's probably pitched the best over the past seven starts, in terms of results.

"We're just going to see how it goes. Hopefully they all pitch well and it's an extremely difficult decision.

"I just want the guys to go out and pitch their game and pitch well. We got to win games, we think this gives us our best chance, and we'll go from there when they've all had their day."

Sounds like a plan. Or the framework for one.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Phillies (30-43) at Twins (23-48)

Game: 3
Venue: Target Field
Date: June 23, 2016 1:10 PM EDT

Very little is going right for the Philadelphia Phillies, who will try and snap a nine-game losing streak Thursday afternoon when they wrap up a three-game interleague series with the Minnesota Twins at Target Field.

Just over a month ago, the Phillies were one of baseball's best stories, a rebuilding squad off to a 24-17 start and only a half-game behind the National League East-leading Washington Nationals on May 18. However, Philadelphia has lost 25 of 31 games since, including 13 of the last 14, to fall to 30-43, 13 1/2 games behind the Nationals.

"We can't become complacent with losing, and on the other hand, I don't want to start yelling and screaming and put my thumb on them," Phillies manager Pete Makanin told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "There's got to be a way to figure out how to get them back on track.

"You look at Atlanta. They were dead in the water, and they've come back from the dead. We're going to come back from the dead, but now we're at the bottom. We're going to climb out, that I'm pretty sure of. But right now is the time I've got to figure out a way to keep them motivated without being too harsh."

Jerad Eickhoff (4-9, 3.49 ERA) will try to snap Philadelphia out of its funk in his 15th start of the season. The right-hander has never faced Minnesota in his two-year major league career.

Eickhoff was solid again his last time out, holding the Arizona Diamondbacks to three runs on nine hits including a pair of home runs over 5 2/3 innings while striking out six in a 4-1 loss.

"He pitched well enough in normal circumstances, with a better hitting team, to keep us in the game and give us a chance," Mackanin said.

The Twins (23-48) will send veteran right-hander Ricky Nolasco to the mound as they look for their first sweep since taking three from the Mariners in Seattle from May 27-29.

Nolasco (3-4) has settled into a groove over the last month, posting a 2-1 record with 3.90 ERA over his last five starts to lower his season ERA from 5.54 to 4.91.

He took no decision in his last start, allowing two runs over seven innings with eight hits, no walks and five strikeouts Saturday against the visiting New York Yankees. Nolasco opened that outing with six scoreless innings, but a late collapse by the Twins' bullpen led to a 7-6 loss.

Such meltdowns have been commonplace this season for the Twins' relief corps, whose 4.67 ERA is the second highest in the American League. The 127 runs yielded by Minnesota relievers are the most in the AL, and the team's 10 saves are the fewest.

Conversely, the Twins' offense has scored the fewest runs among AL teams.

"I know that this team, no matter what the record is, we're going to fight," Nolasco said. "No matter the result, everybody's in there fighting as long as they can. ... We're not going to give in, and we're not going to give up."

Nolasco owns solid career stats against the Phillies: 8-6 with a 3.75 ERA in 22 games (19 starts).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: White Sox (36-36) at Red Sox (39-32)

Game: 4
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: June 23, 2016 1:35 PM EDT

BOSTON -- Two pitchers who signed big contracts before last season, but are now experiencing completely different results, go against each other Thursday at Fenway Park.

Rick Porcello, who signed an $82.5 million extension before ever throwing a pitch for the Boston Red Sox and James Shields, he of the four-year, $75 million contract with the San Diego Padres and now with the Chicago White Sox, close the four-game series in the matinee affair, as the White Sox look for the four-game road sweep, which would be their first four-gamer at Fenway since 1927.

Porcello, who struggled last season, is pitching well. Very well.

Shields, 13-7 with San Diego last year, is not. To say the least.

"He's trying to figure it out right now," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said before Wednesday night's game. "For him, you got a guy who's been around for a while that's had a couple tough starts. For him, it's just getting through it and keep grinding through it."

A couple tough starts? Bombed in his final start with the Padres, who had to eat a chunk of money to trade Shields back to the American League, Shields has three dreadful starts with the White Sox, who added him for stability in their rotation behind Chris Sale.

In the four starts, Shields has allowed 32 hits, 31 earned runs and seven home runs -- in just 9 1/3 total innings.

Acknowledging his new pitcher might be trying too hard with his fourth team, Ventura said, "He's a proud guy. I think this is all new to him."

Red Sox manager John Farrell and some of his hitters know Shields well. David Ortiz is 18-for-60 (.300) with three homers and 16 RBIs and Dustin Pedroia 17-for-58 (.293) with two homers against the right-hander.

"Strong competitor," Red Sox manager John Farrell said when asked about Shields. "A put-away changeup. A guy that was, I think, thrived on the bigger stage or in the spotlight.

"We don't take anything for granted. Yeah, he's had a rough go of his time coming back to the American League, but he's still very capable of making quality pitches."

Shields is just 9-13 with a 4.37 ERA lifetime against the Red Sox -- 2-9 with a 5.42 at Fenway Park. Now, he's trying to both straighten himself out and give his team a win that would put the White Sox, once 23-10 before hitting hard times, back over the .500 mark.

Porcello had a string of four straight no-decision snapped with a win over the Seattle Mariners his last time out. That was his eighth win of the year and now he has to play stopper.

He is 10-8 with a 4.09 ERA lifetime in 21 career starts against the White Sox, much of that compiled while pitching in the same division with the Detroit Tigers.

Porcello enters this game 6-0 in six Fenway starts this season -- making him the 10th Red Sox pitcher since 1913 to open a season with six straight wins at the old ballpark.

Before play on Wednesday, Porcello was tied for fourth in the American League in wins, sixth in walks per nine innings (1.93), eighth in strikeout to walk ratio (4.65) and ninth in WHIP (1.09).

Chicago's Melky Cabrera, a Wednesday night hero with four hits and four RBIs, has owned Porcello, going 14-for-25 for a .560 average, while Avisail Garcia is 7-for-18 (.389).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Padres (30-43) at Reds (28-44)

Game: 1
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: June 23, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

CINCINNATI -- Typically, a late-June series between two last-place clubs would not draw much interest. But, large crowds are expected at Great American Ball Park for this weekend's four-game set between the Cincinnati Reds and San Diego Padres.

Pete Rose, baseball's all-time hits leader, will be inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame on Saturday as part of weekend-long festivities honoring Rose with 20 members of the Big Red Machine clubs of the 1970s present.

Rose who compiled a record 4,256 hits during his 24-year career, is ineligible for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame due to his banishment from the game for betting on baseball. Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred recently refused to lift Rose's ban, but he did open the door for the Reds to enshrine him in the franchise's Hall of Fame. Additionally, Rose's No. 14 uniform number will be retired by the club on Sunday.

But, before the pageantry gets underway, Thursday's series opener begins with a matchup of left-handers in the Padres' Christian Friedrich and the Reds' John Lamb who've both struggled at times this season.

Friedrich allowed a season-high six runs and nine hits in his last outing, a 7-5 loss to the Washington Nationals.

Lamb has lowered his earned run average from a season-high 6.85 on May 27 to 4.75. In fact, his ERA in June was 2.66 including two straight seven-plus inning efforts.

Lamb will be facing the Padres for the first time. Friedrich, a native of nearby Richmond, Ky., has faced Cincinnati five times including two starts, going 1-1 with a 7.50 ERA with 10 earned runs allowed and three home runs in 12 innings.

Despite going 0-for-4 on Wednesday night, first baseman Wil Myers is pacing the Padres' offense with 16 homers and 45 RBIs. For the Reds, it's been corner outfielders Jay Bruce and Adam Duvall who are among just four sets of teammates in the major leagues with at least 48 RBIs each.

The Reds' rebuilding efforts have gotten a boost of late with the return of promising young right-handers Michael Lorenzen and Raisel Iglesias, who are expected to bolster a bullpen that struggled for much of the season.

Cincinnati's heralded corps of young starters will be on display in this weekend's series with Lamb, Cody Reed and Brandon Finnegan, all left-handers acquired last July in the deal that sent Johnny Cueto to the Kansas City Royals, each getting starts against the Padres. Right-hander Anthony DeSclafani, among several starters to begin the season on the disabled list, will make his fourth start since being reinstated. He's 1-0 with a fine 2.30 ERA since coming off the DL.

The Padres (30-43) have struggled on the road, going 12-21 including a split in the two-game series in Baltimore which concluded Wednesday night with a 6-2 loss.

Cincinnati (28-44) has gone 13-11 since snapping an 11-game losing streak on May 28. The Reds haven't fared well in recent years against San Diego, going 6-12 without a season series win since 2012. The Padres won both series last season taking two of three at both Petco Park and Great American.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cubs (47-23) at Marlins (38-34)

Game: 1
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: June 23, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

MIAMI -- It's not often that the worst team in the National League leaves your ballpark and the best team in the majors arrives and you feel relief, but that's how it is for the Miami Marlins right now.

Miami (38-34) just finished splitting a two-game series with the Atlanta Braves, owners of the worst record in the NL.

Before Miami's 3-0 win Wednesday, the Braves were 4-0 this year at Marlins Park. Overall, the Braves are 29-13 at Marlins Park since the stadium opened in 2012.

But it's not just here. The Braves have beaten the Marlins in six of eight meetings this season. They even managed to split this week's series despite not scoring a single run in 15 innings against Miami's two starting pitchers, Jose Fernandez and Adam Conley.

So, with the Braves out of the way, the Marlins can focus on a team they have had more success against -- the Cubs, who split six games with Miami last year.

Furthermore, the Marlins may be getting the Cubs (47-23) at the perfect moment. Chicago was just swept in three games by the St. Louis Cardinals.

In addition, here are some more reasons for optimism for Marlins fans entering the four-game series.

Since 2015 Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta pitched Wednesday, the Marlins won't have to face him this series.

Cubs center fielder Dexter Fowler (hamstring) is on the disabled list and left fielder Jorge Soler and backup infielder Tommy La Stella are also on the disabled list.

Chicago first baseman Anthony Rizzo, a South Florida native, has a back injury and likely will not play Thursday.

Also, Cubs catcher Miguel Montero has a knee strain, although manager Joe Maddon hinted he would be OK.

Granted, Chicago is considerably more talented. In fact, its entire starting infield is in the lead for starting berths in the All-Star Game, including Rizzo at first, Ben Zobrist at second, Addison Russell at shortstop and Kris Bryant at third.

Chicago's scheduled Thursday starter is Jon Lester, who is 9-3 with a 2.06 ERA and will be aiming to win his sixth straight start.

Miami will counter with slumping left-hander Wei-Yin Chen (4-2, 5.22 ERA).

The Cubs are deep everywhere on the field, and that was apparent Wednesday when Montero got hurt and rookie backup Wilson Contreras came in and slugged a two-run homer.

It was the second homer this week for the 24-year-old Contreras, who is considered one of the top catching prospects in the game. Contreras also homered earlier in the Cardinals series, going deep on the first big-league pitch he saw in his career.

The Cubs' depth has also shown in center field when Fowler went down. That opened up an opportunity for highly touted rookie Albert Almora, a 22-year-old Miami native who will be making a triumphant homecoming this weekend.

Almora, Chicago's first-round pick in 2012, is a player to root for because of how close he is to his family and the fact that his father is battling prostate cancer.

Marlins outfielder Ichiro Suzuki has 2,983 career hits, two behind Sam Rice for 30th place on the MLB career list. Suzuki needs 17 hits to reach the magical milestone of 3,000.

Dating to last season, Miami closer A.J. Ramos has 32 consecutive saves, one behind Steve Cishek for the franchise record.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mets (38-32) at Braves (24-47)

Game: 1
Venue: Turner Field
Date: June 23, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

The New York Mets and Atlanta Braves will reverse roles as they begin a four-game series Thursday at Turner Field in Atlanta.

The Mets, the reigning National League champions, are 4-6 over their last 10 games. The Braves, the league's doormat for the first two months, have won six of their last seven games, which includes a three-game sweep over the Mets last week and a 5-1 road trip.

New York's main problem has been the inability to produce runs. In the four games since totaling 17 runs in back-to-back wins over Pittsburgh, the Mets have scored only five runs. New York showed some progress in Thursday's 4-3 win over Kansas City.

"Guys haven't hit. I can't tell you why," Mets owner Fred Wilpon told the New York Daily News. "I think we might need to (get) something (before July 31). The deadline's still four, six weeks away. We've got to start playing better baseball now."

New York made a roster move Monday, activating catcher Travis d'Arnaud, who had been out since April 26 with a rotator cuff strain, and sent Kevin Plawecki and his .194 batting average to Triple-A Las Vegas.

New York is also pondering a second chance for shortstop Jose Reyes, who was designated for assignment by Colorado last week after serving a 52-game suspension for violating the domestic violence policy.

The Mets may also pursue 32-year-old Cuban Yulieski Gourriel, although the third baseman isn't considered close to being game-ready.

The offensive issues could get worse. Slugging outfielder Yeonis Cespides left Wednesday's game early with left wrist soreness and is listed as day-to-day. Cespides is batting .290 and is 18-for-47 (.382) over the last 13 games.

Atlanta's resurgence has been sparked by the hitting of first baseman Freddie Freeman and second baseman Jace Peterson.

Freeman was named National League Player of the Week for the period ending June 19, which included 10 hits, including the cycle, in a four-game series against Cincinnati. Freeman has hit safely in seven of his last 10 games, going 19-for-42 (.452) with six runs, eight RBIs and nine extra-base hits.

Peterson was so bad early in the season that he was sent to Triple-A Gwinnett, where he continued to struggle offensively. But after the Braves traded veteran Kelly Johnson to the Mets on June 8, they had little choice but to give Peterson another chance.

Since being brought up June 10, he has hit safely in 10 starts. He's gone 13-for-38 (.342) with nine runs and six RBIs since his recall, lifting his batting average from .182 to .256.

"He's been playing good," Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. "Since we've had him back, he's been swinging the bat better than what I remember in Triple-A and just kind of being the big catalyst for us."

The Mets will send right-hander Matt Harvey (4-9, 4.76) to the mound in the opening game against Atlanta right-hander Matt Wisler (3-7, 4.23).

Harvey was beaten by the Braves last week. He gave up four runs on seven hits in six innings of a 5-1 loss to Atlanta, leaving him tied for the major league lead in losses. His nine losses are a career high; he lost eight times a year ago.

Despite going 1-2 over his last four starts, Harvey has pitched well. His ERA is 2.08 over that stretch but he's getting the least run support (2.6 per game) among New York starters.

Wisler is 3-1 in four career starts against the Mets, including a 3-0 victory against them May 3 at Citi Field. Wisler allowed only one hit in eight scoreless innings.

Wisler struggled in his first two starts of June when he allowed 13 runs, including six homers, in eight innings of work. He looked better June 16 when he beat Cincinnati by allowing two hits over 6 2/3 innings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Diamondbacks (34-40) at Rockies (34-37)

Game: 1
Venue: Coors Field
Date: June 23, 2016 8:40 PM EDT

In recent seasons, June has been a nightmarish month for the Colorado Rockies.

This year, the third month of the season is going somewhat better for the Rockies but they face a tough task Thursday when they face Zack Greinke in the opener of a four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field.

The Rockies won two games in April started by Greinke.

On April 4, Trevor Story homered twice and the Rockies tagged the right-hander for seven earned runs and nine hits in four innings of a 10-5 win. On April 30 in Arizona, Greinke allowed two runs and eight hits in eight innings and the Rockies scored three times in the ninth for a 5-2 victory.

This time, Greinke heads to Colorado on a seven-start winning streak and 8-1 with a 2.39 ERA over his last nine starts.

"When Greinke's rolling he's as good as anybody," Colorado manager Walt Weiss said. "We caught him a couple of times early this year when he got off to a slow start but he's locked in right now and we're going to have to scratch and claw for runs. We know him very well."

The Rockies have won 10 of their last 16 games and are 10-10 this month after going a combined 42-70 the previous four seasons in June.

Colorado returns home after losing five of six in Miami and New York. In Wednesday's 9-8 loss, the Rockies came back from a four-run deficit by getting home runs from Nick Hundley and Ryan Raburn but Jordan Lyles gave up a three-run home run to Carlos Beltran and Jason Motte allowed a game-winning home run to Starlin Castro in the ninth.

The late-inning collapse followed an 8-4 win on Tuesday that saw Charlie Blackmon homer twice and Nolan Arenado hit his 21st home run.

Had the Rockies finished off Wednesday's win, they would have been 35-36 and had a chance to be at .500 for the first time since May 21.

"I don't think we're on a run by any means," Weiss said. "But we're holding our ground and we're sticking around. And that was the plan. I feel like this team will get better as the year goes on."

The Diamondbacks head to Colorado with five wins in their last six games. They had a five-game winning streak stopped with a 5-2 loss in Toronto Wednesday as Robbie Ray allowed home runs to Russell Martin and Edwin Encarnacion.

Greinke's contribution to Arizona's winning streak occurred last Friday in Philadelphia when he allowed one run and three hits in eight innings. In four outings this month, he has allowed three earned runs and has a 0.85 ERA.

"I feel like I've been throwing more quality strikes instead of just throwing strikes," Greinke said. "It's more where I want it to be. It's tough for the hitters to lay off, but tough for them to hit at the same time."

Greinke, who is 7-4 with a 4.06 ERA in 19 career appearances against the Rockies, will be opposed by Eddie Butler. Butler is taking the turn of the injured Tyler Chatwood and making his eighth start.

Butler has a 5.97 ERA as a starting pitcher this season. He is starting for the first time since June 7 in Los Angeles when he allowed three runs and four hits in six innings during a no-decision.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Athletics (29-42) at Angels (31-41)

Game: 1
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: June 23, 2016 10:05 PM EDT

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Tim Lincecum returned to the majors last week after missing a year because of hip surgery, and he gave the Los Angeles Angels a big boost with a win over the Oakland A's.

Lincecum gave up one run in six innings to get the victory, and the news gets even better for the former two-time Cy Young award winner -- Thursday, he gets the A's again.

While his initial start for the Angels was certainly welcomed by an Angels team that has struggled with their starting pitching all year, it is tempered somewhat knowing it came against an A's team that has a woeful offense.

Oakland averages 3.91 runs per game, the only team in the American League under 4 per game. They also rank dead last in the AL in runs, RBIs, on-base percentage and OPS.

"We're not consistent, that's an issue," A's manager Bob Melvin told MLB.com. "We'll score 15 runs when things are going well and everyone will get good swings up and down the lineup. And then we won't, and we'll have days where I think at times we probably swung at some pitches when we were ahead in some counts and got them out of some situations where there could have been more traffic.

"I think sometimes we're too eager to hit. You see our on-base percentage isn't good, last in the league. We don't walk enough."

The A's will send Kendall Graveman to the mound, a pitcher who hasn't won since May 30 but had an impressive start his last time out, holding the Angels to one run and three hits in seven innings of a 3-2 win.

Graves got a no-decision in that one, and Thursday it's likely he'll see an Angels lineup that will be without Albert Pujols for the third straight game.

Pujols missed his second game in a row Wednesday, marking the first time he's missed consecutive games in more than a year. He's dealing with a sore left hamstring, an injury suffered when trying to beat out a double play ball in Oakland on Sunday.

He's also dealing with a sore left ankle.

"When I'm good, I'm good, and I'm going to play," Pujols told MLB.com Wednesday before the Angels' 3-2 loss to the Astros. "Right now I'm not going to take any chances. ... "I'm not going to force it."

The good news for the Angels is they still have Mike Trout in the lineup. Trout has started every game this season, 67 in center field and five as the designated hitter. His streak of 134 consecutive games started is the longest active streak in the majors.

Trout, who was the DH Wednesday with Pujols on the bench, uses the DH spot like a day off.

"If he needs it, he'll get it," Angels manager Mike Scioscia told MLB.com when asked about giving Trout a day off. "But Mike feels that the DH day really serves the purpose. If he feels good in the box, he wants to keep swinging."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Thursday, June 23, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews

Tuesday was another rough day for the injury-ravaged Mets -- although it could have been worse. First, current starting pitcher Bartolo Colon, my pick for the "Most Interesting Man in Baseball," had to leave his start against the Royals very early after taking a comebacker off his pitching hand. The good news was that X-rays were negative, but he might still miss a start. The not-so-great news was the Mets announcing that former very promising starting pitcher Zack Wheeler, a potential trade chip, had been shut down from his Tommy John surgery rehab due to discomfort in his right elbow. Wheeler was to see a doctor on Wednesday. He was almost ready to head out on a minor-league rehab assignment and rejoin the Mets at some point next month. That seems unlikely now. Wheeler was 11-11 with a 3.54 ERA in 2014, his only full MLB season.


Giants at Pirates (-110, 8.5)

First game of the day with a 12:35 p.m. ET start time and will have live betting at sportsbooks with it televised by the MLB Network. I expect San Francisco to rest a starter or two as this is the end of a seven-game road trip in the Eastern Time Zone. The Giants go with Albert Suarez (2-1, 3.69). This will be his fourth start of the season in place of the injured Matt Cain. Suarez has been solid in relief this year but has a 4.50 ERA as a starter. He was tagged for three solo homers in 4.2 innings last time out against Tampa Bay. Suarez has never faced the Pirates. They start lefty Jon Niese (6-4, 4.74). He's regressing a bit, having allowed 12 runs and 17 hits over 10.2 innings of his past two starts, both losses. Last year while with the Mets, Niese was 1-0 with a 1.20 ERA in two starts against the Giants. Brandon Crawford is 5-for-12 off him with a homer and five RBIs. Buster Posey is 8-for-25 with two doubles and a dinger.

Key trends: The Giants are 6-1 in their past seven road games vs. a lefty. The Pirates are 0-5 in their past five at home vs. a righty. The "over/under" is 9-2 in Pittsburgh's past 11 vs. a right-hander.

Early lean: Giants and over.

White Sox at Red Sox (-212, 10)

A 1:35 p.m. ET first pitch from Fenway. I don't even know what to say about James Shields (2-9, 6.28) at this point. What an utter bust he has been in three starts with the White Sox since coming over from San Diego. Shields allowed 22 runs in his first three starts with the Pale Hose, two shy of the live ball era record set by Sam Page in 1939 with the Athletics. Including his last game with the Padres, Shields is the first pitcher to give up seven-plus runs in four straight starts since Albie Lopez of the Rays in 2001. Shields has faced 62 hitters over 8 2/3 innings with the White Sox and has pitched in five innings where he has faced seven hitters or more. And now Shields has to face the best offensive team in baseball. Yikes. David Ortiz is a career .300 hitter off him with three homers and 16 RBIs in 60 at-bats. Hanley Ramirez is 9-for-34 with a homer and eight strikeouts. The Red Sox, who were also talking to the Padres about a potential Shields trade, go with Rick Porcello (8-2, 3.76). He beat Seattle on Saturday, allowing two runs in six innings. Porcello is 10-8 with a 4.09 ERA in his career against Chicago. Melky Cabrera is 14-for-25 off him with four doubles and a homer.

Key trends: The Red Sox are 6-0 in Porcello's past six at home. The over is 4-1 in his past five overall.

Early lean: Red Sox and over -- think this is first double-digit total of year for a non-Colorado home game.

Cubs at Marlins (+160, 7.5)

This also will be televised by the MLB Network as these teams meet for the first time all season. Chicago goes with Jon Lester (9-3, 2.06), who is closing in on his win total for the entire 2015 season with the Cubs and his first in the National League. The Cubs have won his past five outings and the lefty has allowed only five combined earned runs. Lester was roughed up by the Marlins last year in his lone start against them. Martin Prado is 6-for-10 off him with three doubles. Giancarlo Stanton has a homer off him in three at-bats. The Marlins start lefty Wei-Yen Chen (4-2, 5.22), who has largely been a free-agent bust. He was blasted for a season-high six runs in a career-low 2.1 innings last time out against the Rockies but did avoid the loss. Only a few Cubs have faced him. Ben Zobrist hits .375 off Chen in 40 at-bats. David Ross, who is Lester's personal catcher, is 4-for-15 off him with three RBIs.

Key trends: The Cubs are 5-1 in Lester's past six on the road. The Marlins are 5-0 in Chen's past five at home. The under is 6-2-2 in Lester's past 10 on the road vs. teams with a winning record.

Early lean: Cubs and under.

Diamondbacks at Rockies (+155, 10.5)

The Snakes are 3-6 against Colorado this season but 2-1 at Coors Field. Arizona goes with ace Zack Greinke (10-3, 3.54). He won a seventh straight start Saturday in Philadelphia, allowing one run and three hits over eight innings. Before this winning streak, Greinke had an ERA of 5.26. Now he might be an All-Star. He is 0-1 with a 7.36 ERA in two starts this year against Colorado. Nolan Arenado only hits .207 against him in 29 at-bats. Carlos Gonzalez, on the other hand, is 12-for-31 with four homers off Greinke. The Rockies go with Eddie Butler most likely . They need a starter here because ace Tyler Chatwood went on the DL Sunday. Butler (2-4, 6.26) was recently demoted to long relief. He allowed six runs in 3.1 innings in his last outing Saturday vs. Miami. That was the game Chatwood left injured. Butler hasn't faced Arizona this year.

Key trends: The Diamondbacks are 6-0 in Greinke's past six on the road. The Rockies are 1-6 in Butler's past seven vs. the NL West. The under is 4-0 in Greinke's past four.

Early lean: Diamondbacks and under.

A's at Angels (-143, 8.5)

Maybe the Angels can turn around and trade Tim Lincecum (1-0, 1.50)? I'm sure they won't. But the Halos aren't going anywhere. And what if Lincecum continues to pitch well? He made his Angels and season debut on Saturday in Oakland and allowed one run and four hits over six innings. He retired 10 of his last 11 batters. Lincecum doesn't throw very hard these days, so he threw his signature split-changeup 38.8 percent of the time in the game, his highest changeup usage rate in a start since 2009. Oakland's Yonder Alonso is 3-for-25 career off Lincecum. Khris Davis is 3-for-15 with two homers. Oakland goes with Kendall Graveman (2-6, 4.87). He took a no-decision on Friday against the Angels, allowing one run and three hits over seven innings. Mike Trout is 2-for-12 off him. Albert Pujols is 5-for-10 with a homer.

Key trends: The A's are 1-5 in Graveman's past six on the road. The Angels are 0-5 in their past five series openers. The under is 5-2 in Graveman's past seven.

Early lean: Angels and under.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'White Sox in mound of trouble'

Chicago White Sox at Boston Red Sox June 23, 1:35 EST

James Shields will start for White Sox which doesn't engender a lot of confidence. The righthander has been tagged for 21 earned runs over 8 2/3 innings in his three White Sox starts. Shields 2-9 on the year tossing for Padres/Pale Hose also carries a 3-6 Team Start skid vs Boston while with KC/TB and a 1-6 TSR his last seven June starts.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Cubs look to end 3-game skid'

Chicago Cubs at Miami Marlins June 23, 7:10 EST

A battle between portsiders is today's baseball betting focus as the Chicago Cubs open a four-game road series against the Miami Marlins. According to opening odds the Cubs are -$1.70 road favorites with the total set at 7.5 across all shops.

Cubs mired in a three-game skid have southpaw Jon Lester toeing the rubber, bringing a 9-3 record, 2.06 ERA to the hill. Lester in great form having allowing just 5 earned runs along with a 40-5 strike-walk-ratio has won five consecutive starts. Getting the call for Miami is lefty Wei-Yin Chen carrying a 4-2 record, 5.22 ERA. Chen, has put up horrible numbers the past three starts shelled for 23 Hits, 7 yard-ball, 15 earned runs.

Cubs should do what they typically do with Jon Lester on the mound in road games, and that's win! The Cubbies lefthander is 5-1 with a miniscule 1.69 ERA in an opposing park. Matching that, when the Cubs have started a new series with Lester they're a perfect 5-0. Additionally, Cubs enter 6-2 in enemy territory swinging away at a southpaw starter.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB

Thursday's games

National League games

Giants @ Pirates
Suarez is 0-0, 5.06 in three starts this year (over 2-0-1).

Niese is 0-2, 10.12 in his last two starts; three of his last four starts stayed under. .

Giants are 20-7 in last 27 road games,under is 14-9 in last 23 Giant road games. Pirates lost 12 of last 14 games; over is 12-4 in their last 16 home games.

Cubs @ Marlins
Lester is 5-0, 1.73 in his last five starts; six of his last nine went over.

Chen is 1-0, 9.88 in his last three starts; five of his last six went over. .

Cubs lost their last three games; six of their last nine games stayed under. Cubs are 7-4 in road series openers. Miami won six of its last nine games; under is 9-3 in their last dozen home games. Marlins are 6-7 in home series openers.

Mets @ Braves
Harvey is 1-2, 2.08 in his last four starts, which all stayed under.

Wisler is 1-4, 6.83 in his last five starts; five of his last six went over.

Mets are 4-6 in last ten games but won the last two; they're 7-4 in road series openers. Under is 8-3-1 in their last 12 games. Braves won six of their last six games; they're 4-8 in home openers. Five of last six Atlanta home games went over total.

Diamondbacks @ Rockies
Greinke is 7-0, 1.90 in his last seven starts; his last four stayed under.

Butler is 0-2, 7.29 in his last four starts (over 3-3-1).

Diamondbacks won five of last six games, are 8-4 in road series openers; nine of their last 10 road games stayed under the total. Colorado won five of last six home games; they're 5-6 in home series openers. Three of last four Coors Field games went under.


American League games

Mariners @ Tigers
Sampson allowed four runs in 4.2 IP (85 PT) in his first MLB start.

Norris is making his first MLB start this year; he is 3-2, 3.86 in 14 MLB starts, 4-6, 4.66 in 13 AAA starts this season. .

Mariners lost ten of last 12 road games; four of their last five games stayed under total. Tigers won eight of last nine home games; under is 3-1-1 in their last five home games.

White Sox @ Red Sox
Shields is 0-2, 22.85 in three starts for Chicago (over 3-0).

Porcello is 2-0, 4.82 in his last six starts; over is 5-2-1 in his last eight starts.

Boston is 4-9 in last 13 home games; seven of its last ten home games stayed under. Chicago lost 13 of last 19 road games; five of their last seven road games stayed under.

A's @ Angels
Graveman is 1-0, 3.80 in his last four starts (under 5-2 in last seven).

Lincecum allowed one run in six IP (98 PT) in his first start for the Angels.

Angels are 5-11 in their last 16 games; five of last six LA games stayed under the total. Halos are 5-7 in home series openers. Oakland is 6-20 in its last 26 road games, 6-5 in road series openers. Under is 5-0-1 in last six Oakland games.


Interleague

Phillies @ Twins
Eickhoff is 2-2, 2.13 in his last four starts; nine of his last ten starts stayed under. .

Nolasco is 1-0, 3.46 in his last two starts; 12 of his last 13 starts went over..

Phillies lost their last nine games; over is 11-3 in last 14 Philly road games. Minnesota won its last three games; over is 16-3 in Twins' last 19 home games.


Teams won-lost records when this pitcher starts:

SF-Pitt-- Suarez 1-2; Niese 8-6
SD-Cin-- Friedrich 4-3; Lamb 3-6
Chi-Mia-- Lester 11-3; Chen 8-6
NY-Atl-- Harvey 5-9; Wisler 3-10
Az-SD-- Greinke 11-4; Butler 2-5

Sea-Det-- Sampson 0-1; Norris 0-0
Chi-Bos-- Shields 2-9/1-2; Porcello 10-4
A's-LA-- Graveman 4-9; Lincecum 1-0

Phil-Minn-- Eickhoff 5-9; Nolasco 6-8


Starting pitchers allowing 1+ runs in first inning:

SF-Pitt-- Suarez 1-3; Niese 4-14
SD-Cin-- Friedrich 3-7; Lamb 4-9
Chi-Mia-- Lester 4-14; Chen 6-14
NY-Atl-- Harvey 3-14; Wisler 7-13
Az-SD-- Greinke 4-15; Butler 4-7

Sea-Det-- Sampson 0-1; Norris 0-0
Chi-Bos-- Shields 7-14; Porcello 4-14
A's-LA-- Graveman 3-13; Lincecum 0-1

Phil-Minn-- Eickhoff 4-14; Nolasco 7-14

 

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Thursday's six-pack

-- Knicks acquired Derrick Rose in a trade with Chicago; Rose has played in 166 of a possible 410 games the last five years and shot under 30% from the arc the last two years. Rose is entering the walk year of his contract.

-- From Chicago's side, it means Bulls are now probably keeping Jimmy Butler.

-- Pacers-Hawks-Jazz made a 3-way trade; Indiana gets Jeff Teague.

-- If you're Dez Bryant and you cause $100K in damage to the house you rented, it would probably be better if your landlord wasn't also a state senator.

-- Noah Syndergaard's elbow flared up yesterday, he left his start after six innings; all of a sudden, the Mets may be running short of healthy starting pitchers.

-- Penguins/Cavaliers both won championships this month, after firing their coach during the season; some nitwit baseball owner is going to hear that and........

 

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#1 Sports

Thursday's Free Selection: Minnesota Twins - 150

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Mike Wynn

Bonus Play: MLB Minnesota w/Nolasco -150 Over Philadelphia