Thursday 7/23/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

HORSES: Props - American Pharoah

The 2015 Breeders’ Cup Classic, widely considered the best horse race, will take place from Keeneland on Saturday Oct. 31 from Lexington, Kentucky.

Oddsmakers have posted odds on the upcoming $5 million race and to no surprise, American Pharoah has been installed as the top betting choice.

Listed below are all of the odds for the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Classic plus Prop Bets for American Pharoah and his possible future races this season.

Haskell Invitational (8/2/15) - American Pharoah vs. The Field
American Pharoah -230
The Field +185

American Pharoah Grand Slam - Will He Win The Breeders Cup Classic (10/31/15)
(Must Start Race For Action)
Yes +160
No -195

American Pharoah - Will He Finish His 3-Year-Old Season Undefeated?
Yes +165
No -200

Odds to win 2015 Breeders Cup Classic (10/31/15)
(Must Start Race For Action)
American Pharoah 8/5
Shared Belief 5/2
Palace Malice 10/1
Constitution 12/1
Dortmund 12/1
Hoppertunity 12/1
Tonalist 12/1
Lea 14/1
Carpe Diem 15/1
Commissioner 15/1
Frosted 15/1
Honor Code 15/1
Materiality 20/1
Moreno 20/1
Noble Bird 20/1
Protonico 20/1
Toast of New York 20/1
Bayern 25/1
Firing Line 25/1
Wicked Strong 25/1
Wise Dan 25/1
Catch A Flight 30/1
Texas Red 30/1
Transparent 40/1
Danza 50/1
Elnaawi 50/1
Prince Bishop 50/1
Race Day 50/1
Red Rifle 50/1
Untapable 50/1
Upstart 50/1
V E Day 50/1
Coach Inge 60/1
Prospect Park 60/1
Candy Boy 75/1
John F Kennedy 75/1
Keen Ice 75/1
Liams Map 75/1
Mubtaahij 75/1
Tapiture 75/1
War Dispatch 75/1
Ocean Kight 85/1
El Kabeir 100/1
General A Rod 100/1
Madefromlucky 100/1
Punctuate 100/1
Ride on Curlin 100/1
War Story 100/1
Competitive Edge 125/1
Itsaknockout 125/1

Odds Subject to Change

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB Preview: Marlins (40-55) at Padres (44-51)

Game: 1
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: July 23, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

San Diego and Miami are known for great weather, picturesque beaches and relaxing lifestyles.

Those city's baseball teams, unfortunately, are enduring the NL's longest postseason droughts and have already fired their managers after failing to meet expectations.

Misery may love company when the underachieving Padres and Marlins meet for the first time Thursday night to start a four-game series at Petco Park.

Miami (40-55) has the longest postseason drought in the NL, last reaching the playoffs when it won the 2003 World Series. San Diego (44-51) is tied with the New York Mets for the league's second-worst dry spell, having last qualified in 2006.

Both clubs had hope thanks to some major offseason moves.

The Marlins re-signed slugger Giancarlo Stanton to a record $325 million, 13-year deal and added veterans Dee Gordon, Michael Morse and Martin Prado. Stanton and Gordon, however, are currently injured.

The new-look Padres added Matt Kemp, Justin Upton, Melvin Upton Jr., Will Middlebrooks, Derek Norris and closer Craig Kimbrel. Those batters are all hitting below their career averages, Middlebrooks was sent to the minors Wednesday and Kimbrel has his worst career ERA.

Miami general manager Dan Jennings took over as manager for Mike Redmond on May 17. San Diego fired Bud Black on June 15, with Pat Murphy named interim manager.

The similarities with these clubs extend to the fact that Thursday's right-handed starters have identical 3.38 ERAs. The Padres send Tyson Ross (6-7) to the mound to face the Marlins' Tom Koehler (7-6).

Ross is allowing a major league-low 0.23 homers per nine innings, though he is also last in baseball with 4.38 walks per nine innings. He is 3-0 with a 2.23 ERA in his last six starts, with San Diego winning five of them.

Ross gave up three runs in 6 2-3 innings Saturday and did not get a decision in a 5-4 victory over Colorado. He allowed one run over seven innings to earn a 10-1 victory over the Marlins last year in his lone career start versus them.

Prado has faced him the most among Miami hitters, going 4 for 16.

Koehler has a 1.97 ERA in his last five outings, winning the first three but losing the last two. He surrendered three runs and three hits in six innings Saturday in a 3-1 loss at Philadelphia.

Koehler won his lone career start against the Padres last year by giving up two runs in six innings in an 8-2 rout. Justin Upton is 6 for 16 against him, though he has missed the last three games with a strained muscle in his side.

Miami seeks its first three-game road win streak after starters Mat Latos and Jose Fernandez notched victories in this week's three-game set with Arizona. Closer A.J. Ramos loaded the bases to start the ninth before striking out the side in Wednesday's 5-3 victory.

"Not good for the manager's heart, but pretty exciting," Jennings said.

San Diego totaled four runs in consecutive home defeats to San Francisco, managing six hits with a solo homer by Jedd Gyorko in Wednesday's 7-1 loss.

"It's disappointing but we put ourselves in a good position and didn't execute when we had to," Murphy said.

The Padres took four of seven 2014 matchups.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mariners (43-52) at Tigers (47-47)

Game: 4
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: July 23, 2015 1:08 PM EDT

A year ago, the Detroit Tigers were in the process of acquiring David Price to help win a fourth consecutive AL Central title.

Now, the left-hander could be making his last home start for one of 2015's most underachieving clubs Thursday against the visiting Seattle Mariners.

Though Detroit (47-47) has won two of the first three in this set, it's 10 1/2 games behind Kansas City in the division and has work to do to climb the wild-card standings. If the Tigers opt to be sellers at the July 31 trade deadline, Price (9-3, 2.32 ERA) could be available since he's eligible for free agency after this season.

He finds himself in a similar position to last year when Tampa Bay pondered trading the 2012 Cy Young Award winner before executing a three-team, five-player deal that sent him to the Motor City last July 31.

Publicly, Price feels comfortable with the Tigers.

"Yeah, I want to win here. We have a very good team," he told MLB's official website. "This is one of the most talented baseball teams that I've ever been a part of. If we can just play baseball the way we're capable of playing, we'll win games."

Slated to start again Tuesday at Tampa, the five-time All-Star is 2-1 with an 0.82 ERA this month. He allowed a solo homer and struck out 12 in seven innings of a 3-0 home defeat to Baltimore on Saturday.

"I've been on the opposite end a couple times this year," said Price, 6-2 with a 1.59 ERA in his last 11 starts. "I've thrown the ball way worse than I threw the ball (Saturday) and I came out on top. That's baseball; that's life. Got to roll with it."

As Price continues to roll with the trade talk, he'll look to further improve on a 2-1 record and 2.53 ERA in four starts against Seattle (43-52).

The Tigers, meanwhile, will try to win consecutive games for the first time in two weeks after Ian Kinsler recorded four hits and Nick Castellanos clubbed a grand slam in Wednesday's 9-4 victory. Kinsler is 8 for 14 in the set and batting .450 in his last 10 contests.

He went 0 for 3 against Hisashi Iwakuma (2-1, 4.89) when the right-hander allowed five runs, including solo homers to Yoenis Cespedes, Victor Martinez, J.D. Martinez and Castellanos, in five-plus innings of a 12-5 loss to the Tigers on July 6 in his return after missing almost three months with a right lat strain.

However, Iwakuma has gone 2-0 with a 1.32 ERA since. The only runs he yielded in those contests came on a two-run homer in 5 2-3 innings of a 4-3 win at Yankee Stadium on Saturday.

"I think all of my pitches are sharper," he said. "I'm very happy where I'm at."

Iwakuma scattered four hits through eight innings of an 8-0 victory Sept. 18, 2013, in his lone start at Comerica Park.

Victor Martinez is 5 for 9 with two homers versus Iwakuma and Cespedes is batting .407 (11 for 27) with four home runs and five doubles against him.

Nelson Cruz is batting .368 (7 for 19) with two home runs against Price and has homered three times in the last two games - matching his total from his previous 45.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Orioles (46-47) at Yankees (52-41)

Game: 3
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: July 23, 2015 1:05 PM EDT

It's been five seasons since the New York Yankees swept a three-game home set from the Baltimore Orioles and if they end that drought Thursday, it would deal another blow to the defending AL East champions.

The first-place Yankees have shown a recent penchant for winning one-run games and will send Masahiro Tanaka to the mound as they look to push the Orioles seven games behind them.

New York (52-41) has gone 4-1 in one-run games since the All-Star break, winning 3-2 on Tuesday and 4-3 on Wednesday to begin this series. The Orioles haven't suffered a three-game sweep in the Bronx since June 1-3, 2010.

"These are important series because it gives you an opportunity to put some distance between you and the clubs in your division," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

Baltimore (46-47) has dropped 11 of 15 to fall below .500 for the second time since June 11, though it's unclear if the club will turn into a seller before the trade deadline with eight prospective free agents on the roster. Before Wednesday's defeat, vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette said the Orioles will be buyers.

"We know we are capable of better," manager Buck Showalter said. "For people who live in a minute-to-minute world, I guess they're concerned. We're not."

A strong outing by Tanaka (6-3, 3.65 ERA) could change his thinking. The Yankees are 9-3 in the right-hander's starts, including four straight victories.

Tanaka won his second start in a row Friday by giving up three runs with seven strikeouts in seven innings in a 4-3 home win over Seattle. He's 6-0 in seven starts when getting at least three runs of support.

He hasn't faced the Orioles this year after going 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA in two 2014 starts against them. Jonathan Schoop went 2 for 6 with two homers in those games while Chris Davis was 1 for 6 with three strikeouts.

Davis, one of Baltimore's impending free agents, hit his 20th homer Wednesday and Ryan Flaherty had a two-run shot. Davis, however, is 9 for 46 in the season series with three homers and 21 strikeouts.

"It's kind of the same thing we've been challenged with, a couple home runs but we really don't mount anything," Showalter said.

Matt Wieters is 1 for 7 in this series and figures to be back behind the plate after serving as the designated hitter Wednesday.

However, things didn't go well for Ubaldo Jimenez (7-5, 3.29) when Wieters was his catcher Friday, getting shelled for a season-high seven runs over 4 2-3 innings in a 7-3 defeat at Detroit.

"I didn't have my slider at all, and the splitter was good at times and then it wasn't doing anything at other times," Jimenez said.

The right-hander had surrendered one run in 20 innings over his previous three starts with Caleb Joseph behind the plate for all of them. Joseph is 15 for 30 versus New York this season.

Jimenez allowed three runs in five-plus innings in an 11-3 win over the Yankees on June 12 to improve to 2-1 with a 4.43 ERA in four starts against them with the Orioles. He hasn't lasted past the sixth inning in his last six versus New York.

Carlos Beltran is 7 for 18 with two homers off Jimenez, Jacoby Ellsbury is 5 for 9 and Alex Rodriguez is 3 for 6.

Rodriguez drilled a 455-homer in the fifth inning Wednesday to give him 16 seasons with at least 20.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Twins (50-44) at Angels (54-40)

Game: 3
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: July 23, 2015 3:35 PM EDT

Ervin Santana called Angel Stadium home for eight years. He was an All-Star and threw the Los Angeles Angels' first individual no-hitter in almost three decades.

Anaheim will be enemy territory for him for the first time Thursday, though, when he takes the mound for the Minnesota Twins against baseball's hottest team.

Santana (1-0, 3.66 ERA) went 96-80 with a 4.33 ERA in 236 games with the Angels from 2005-12. His tenure was highlighted by an All-Star nod in 2008 and a 10-strikeout no-no at Cleveland on July 27, 2011.

Though this marks his first trip to Angel Stadium as a visitor, it's unlikely to be worse than his only other start against Los Angeles. He gave up five runs and four homers over 7 2-3 innings of a 5-4 loss with Kansas City on May 23, 2013. Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, and Chris Iannetta - who homered in the Angels' 5-2 win Wednesday - all went deep.

Santana is 50-38 with a 3.77 ERA in 117 games in Anaheim.

The right-hander had a horrendous outing versus Detroit before the All-Star break, his second start since serving his 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. On Friday, however, he looked more like the pitcher the Twins thought they were getting after signing him to a four-year deal in December, as he limited Oakland to five hits and one walk over 7 2-3 innings in a 5-0 road win.

"I think it was big for him and big for us," third baseman Trevor Plouffe told MLB's official website. "We know what kind of pitcher he is. He's got the track record and got everything we want in a pitcher. he throws strikes, works fast, he holds runners well. He's a big boost to our rotation."

Facing these Angels (54-40) figures to be a tough test, given both the way they're swinging the bats and the pitcher they'll face. Los Angeles had 12 hits Wednesday and is hitting.301 with 27 homers while averaging 6.6 runs in a 13-2 stretch, which includes seven consecutive victories.

Trout, who missed his first game Tuesday due to a sore heel, and Pujols combined to go 1 for 8, but the Angels got three hits apiece from Johnny Giavotella and Kole Calhoun atop the lineup.

Garrett Richards (10-6, 3.24 ERA) comes off his second career shutout, a two-hitter in Saturday's 3-0 win over Boston. It marked the fifth time in seven starts he's completed at least seven innings while allowing two runs or fewer.

The right-hander looks like he's recaptured the form that made him one of the front-runners for AL Cy Young Award last year before a torn patellar tendon required season-ending surgery.

"I think he's shown a lot of the same things he showed last year," manager Mike Scioscia said. "There's been one or two (starts) maybe not exactly what he's looking for, but Garrett's throwing the ball very well."

Richards, who is 6-1 with a 1.89 ERA at home, won his only previous start against Minnesota, allowing two runs in 7 1-3 innings of a 6-2 victory June 25, 2014.

Minnesota (50-44) has scored five runs while dropping four in a row. Trevor Plouffe and Eddie Rosario are each 1 for 15 in that span, and the team is batting .185.

A fifth straight loss would match the Twins' longest skid of the season set June 8-13.

Angels third baseman David Freese is expected to miss at least two weeks with a broken right index finger after being hit by a pitch Wednesday night.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blue Jays (48-48) at Athletics (44-52)

Game: 3
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: July 23, 2015 3:35 PM EDT

Scott Kazmir's time with the Oakland Athletics is rumored to be nearing an end, and he could draw the Toronto Blue Jays' interest.


Kazmir may be taking the mound for the final time for the A's as he tries to continue his recent dominance Thursday night against the Blue Jays.

After winning a career-high 15 games in his first season with Oakland in 2014, Kazmir (5-5) is among the AL leaders with a 2.38 ERA this year. However, he's scheduled to become a free agent this winter, and with the A's (44-52) having plenty of teams to pass in the playoff chase, they are reportedly considering trading him before the July 31 deadline.

The left-hander's value is rising as he's 3-1 with a 1.35 ERA and 0.79 WHIP over his last seven starts. His 1.36 ERA at home is second-best in baseball, going 4-2 in 10 starts, after yielding one run in 8 1-3 innings of Saturday's 3-2 win in 10 against Minnesota.

"You want him pitching for you every fifth day," catcher Stephen Vogt said. "We love Scott and what he's done for us to this point this year is pretty phenomenal. Our entire rotation, really, but he's been some kind of good."

Kazmir has had quality starts in his last four matchups with Toronto and won the last one, yielding a run and three hits with eight strikeouts in seven innings of a 5-1 victory July 5, 2014.

The Blue Jays (48-48), three games behind the Twins for a wild-card spot, could potentially be in the market for Kazmir as they have one of the league's worst rotations with a 4.31 ERA.

They've balanced that out as the highest-scoring team in baseball with an average of 5.32 runs - their best since a franchise-record 5.52 in 2003 - and they rank second with 123 homers.

R.A. Dickey (3-10, 4.70), however, hasn't been afforded that luxury as his 3.88 runs of support per game is the lowest in the rotation. The right-handed knuckleballer has been backed by two runs or fewer in 11 of 19 starts, including each of the past five while he's gone 0-4 with a 3.98 ERA.

"It's been a peculiar year in that regard," said Dickey, who allowed one run in six innings while not getting the decision in a 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay on Saturday.

He hasn't lost five straight decisions since an eight-start stretch in 2011 with the New York Mets.

Dickey is 0-3 with a 2.92 ERA in seven games - five starts - at Oakland. His scheduled start was pushed up a day after Drew Hutchison fell ill.

The A's have won five of six over the Blue Jays after Ike Davis' pinch-hit, walkoff single was upheld by video review following a close play at first in Wednesday's 4-3, 10-inning victory.

"It's awkward. That's a tough position to be in. The whole time we were thinking, 'If they turn this over we're going to look like a bunch of idiots out here (celebrating),'" said Josh Reddick, who scored the winning run. "... It felt like the longest replay we've had all year."

Vogt is batting .371 in his last 10 games against Toronto after getting two hits and an RBI on Wednesday.

Josh Donaldson has doubled on two of his four hits while adding two RBIs in his first two games back in Oakland after the A's traded him in the offseason.

The All-Star third baseman is 3 for 6 with a homer off Kazmir.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Nationals (51-42) at Pirates (54-40)

Game: 1
Venue: PNC Park
Date: July 23, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been slow out of the gates following the All-Star break, but a return home might be just what they need to get going again.

Pittsburgh seeks its ninth home win in 10 games Thursday night when it opens a four-game series with the Washington Nationals.

The Pirates (54-40) won 13 of 16 before the break, but have since lost five of six, all on the road, while being limited to one run four times, including a 5-1 defeat at Kansas City on Wednesday. At PNC Park, though, they've won eight of nine and rank third in the majors with a 32-16 home record. Andrew McCutchen's 1.147 home OPS since May 20 is second to only Miguel Cabrera (1.167), though he's 3 for 31 in his last nine overall meetings with Washington.

Pittsburgh was outscored 19-3 while being swept by Washington in three games June 19-21 and is trying to end a seven-game losing streak in the series, though all but one of those defeats came at Nationals Park. No team has won eight straight in the series since the Pirates took eight in a row from the Montreal Expos April 9-June 30, 1991.

The Nationals (51-42) have also been shaky since the break, splitting six games and scoring two runs or fewer in each loss, though they rallied for a 4-3 victory over the New York Mets on Wednesday.

Washington could have more injury concerns, though, after third baseman Yunel Escobar left in the second inning with what appeared to be a left hand or wrist issue. X-rays were negative but he was scheduled for more tests.

Escobar's .322 batting average ranks second on the club, and the Nationals are already without Ryan Zimmerman, Anthony Rendon, Jayson Werth and Denard Span.

Pittsburgh gives to the ball to Francisco Liriano (5-6, 2.98 ERA), who hasn't started since before the break after being scratched Saturday against Milwaukee with a stiff neck. He threw a bullpen session Tuesday without issue.

He has won once in his last four starts despite a 2.05 ERA, and has received three runs of support or fewer in seven of his last nine outings.

Liriano threw 7 2-3 scoreless innings to win his first career matchup with Washington in 2013, but has lost two meetings since while posting a 7.59 ERA, including a 6-0 road defeat in last month's series.

Bryce Harper is 2 for 3 with a home run against him, and 10 for his last 29 off lefties with three doubles and three homers.

Washington's Doug Fister (3-5, 4.30) is 1-3 with an ERA that mirrors his season mark in five outings since returning from a forearm injury. He gave up four runs and nine hits over five innings of a 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.

This is the first time he's been two games under .500 since August 2012, when he was 5-7 for Detroit, though he finished 10-10.

Fister's had a particularly tough time on the road, compiling a 1-3 record and 5.13 ERA in five games, only winning in a 6 1-3 shutout inning effort against the Mets on May 3.

He boasts a strong track record against the Pirates, though, going 1-1 with a 1.07 ERA in four starts. He's thrown seven innings without allowing an earned run in two of the last three.

Pedro Alvarez and McCutchen are 4 for 7 and 4 for 8 off Fister, respectively.

Teammate Jung Ho Kang is 15 for 33 with eight runs during a nine-game hitting streak.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Dodgers (54-42) at Mets (49-46)

Game: 1
Venue: Citi Field
Date: July 23, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Clayton Kershaw has some work to do to approach his teammate's scoreless innings streak, but things could certainly be worse. Bartolo Colon's ERA over the past 10 starts is more than four times that of the reigning NL MVP's.

The diverging pitchers meet Thursday night in New York with the Los Angeles Dodgers co-ace trying to remain unbeaten against the Mets.

Zack Greinke is 2 2-3 innings past Kershaw's 41-inning streak from last season, but the left-hander is again climbing that ladder. After allowing three hits in eight innings of Saturday's 4-2 win in Washington, Kershaw (7-6, 2.68 ERA) hasn't given up a run in 20 innings as part of a 5-3 span with a 1.36 ERA in 10 starts. He struck out a season-high 14, giving Kershaw 27 strikeouts and no walks in 17 innings over consecutive victories.

"It looked like he had good location," manager Don Mattingly told MLB's official website. "Obviously, all of his stuff was good. ... Just kind of continuing on what he's been doing his last 10, 12 (starts)."

His recent form is in line with his history against the Mets with a 5-0 record and 1.58 ERA in eight starts. Lucas Duda (0 for 7 with five strikeouts), Curtis Granderson (0 for 6) and Juan Lagares (0 for 4) haven't figured him out, but Ruben Tejada is 5 for 10.

Colon (9-8, 4.86) gave up seven runs in 4 1-3 innings of Saturday's 12-2 loss in St. Louis, dropping the right-hander to 3-6 with a 5.74 ERA in 10 starts. The Mets have lost his last five with the 42-year-old going 0-4 with a 6.18 mark. He also walked three batters for the first time in 2015 as he was again denied his fourth straight 10-win season.

"It's all command with him," manager Terry Collins said. "Bartolo does not change the way he pitches. Primarily fastball, with a mix of some changeups and some sliders, but when he commands the fastball, the other stuff is just an accent. And when he doesn't command the fastball, he's not the kind of a guy who's going to go strictly offspeed, he just doesn't pitch like that, and tonight he just didn't have the command."

Colon gave up two runs over six innings in an 11-3 win at Chavez Ravine on Aug. 24, the first time he faced the Dodgers since 2006. Adrian Gonzalez is 9 for 21 with two home runs in their matchups, but Howie Kendrick (2 for 22) and Carl Crawford (6 for 36) have struggled.

Crawford was back in the starting lineup for the first time since April 27 in Wednesday's 3-1 win in Atlanta, though he was 0 for 4 and is 6 for 32 in New York.

The Dodgers (54-42) have been held to six hits in each of their last two games, and their .708 OPS in July is on track to be their lowest month since August (.688).

New York (49-46) knows something about offensive struggles, but it was the bullpen that wasn't able to do the job in Wednesday's 4-3 loss as Bobby Parnell allowed three runs in the eighth inning to blow a 3-1 lead. Following 10 1-3 innings of work in Sunday's 18-inning win in St. Louis, Mets relievers have surrendered five runs, eight hits and three walks in seven innings.

At the plate, Ruben Tejada enters with a 10-game hitting streak, but Duda is batting .129 in 17 July games.

The Mets won two of three in Los Angeles from July 3-5 with Wilmer Flores going 9 for 13, but the Dodgers have won eight of 10 in New York.

Mets left fielder Michael Cuddyer (left knee) has been out of the starting lineup for three games and didn't sound optimistic that he'd return Thursday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: White Sox (42-50) at Indians (45-48)

Game: 1
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: July 23, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Jeff Samardzija appears to be the most enticing and available trade option possessed by the Chicago White Sox.

With his club looking to avoid a fifth straight defeat, Samardzija could be making one of his last starts for the visiting White Sox on Thursday night against the Cleveland Indians.

While Chicago (42-50) could be listening to offers for ace Chris Sale, Samardzija (6-5, 4.08 ERA) likely has the more realistic chance of being dealt among any of its pitchers or position players. Following Wednesday's 3-2 loss to St. Louis, the White Sox have been held to one or two runs five times while losing six of seven since winning nine of 11.

The team's current state coupled with Samardzija likely to test the free agent market after the season, leaves him in a similar position to last year when the crosstown rival Cubs sent the right-hander to Oakland in early July.

Manager Robin Ventura said Samardzija doesn't seem phased by the trade rumors.

"Some of it can be noticeable, but other times you don't notice it," Ventura told MLB's official website. "Some guys suppress things like that, some guys just don't care and continue to play. The job here is to not let it get in the way and let it get in the way of what you're doing on the field."

Samardzija, whose 132 1-3 innings rank fifth in the majors, has lasted at least seven in eight straight starts. However, he allowed a pair of homers, three walks and four runs over seven innings of a 4-2 loss to Kansas City on Friday.

He gave up six hits in six innings of a 6-0 win over Cleveland (45-48) on April 22, but makes his first appearance at Progressive Field.

Michael Brantley went 0 for 3 with a strikeout against Samardzija in that contest but is batting .415 (17 for 41) with three homers and 13 RBIs in his last 11 games. He went 4 for 5 with a three-run homer and drove in another during Wednesday's 7-5 victory at Milwaukee.

Though he's batting .222 against the White Sox this season, Brantley has recorded six of his team-leading 55 RBIs in seven of those meetings and four during Cleveland's three-game series winning streak.

'Plain and simple, do whatever I can to get the runners in,' Brantley said. 'The more runs we have, the better chance we have to win. It's no secret.'

Trevor Bauer (8-6, 4.03) is 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA in three starts against the White Sox this season but looks to rebound after he allowed five runs and seven hits, including two homers, in four innings of a 6-1 loss at Cincinnati on Friday. The right-hander, who had not pitched since July 8, believes his extended rest over the All-Star break played a factor in his rough outing.

"Not pitching in nine days was a little tough," he said. "It was a different feeling from what I've had the rest of the season.'

It's uncertain what reason Bauer has for serving up half of his 14 home runs while posting a 6.35 ERA during a 2-3 stretch.

Jose Abreu is 6 for 13 with a double against Bauer, but Melky Cabrera is 0 for 10.

Teammate Adam LaRoche is batting .148 (4 for 27) with one RBI and 12 strikeouts against Cleveland this season, and .140 (8 for 57) with three RBIs in his last 19 contests overall.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Royals (57-36) at Cardinals (60-34)

Game: 1
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: July 23, 2015 7:15 PM EDT

It feels like 1985 all over again.

Both the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals have the best records in their respective leagues, and the I-70 rivals look to continue moving towards a repeat of that showdown Thursday night in the makeup of a rainout.

Barring a dramatic collapse, St. Louis (60-34) and Kansas City (57-36) will be back in the postseason, possibly leading to a rematch of the 1985 World Series won by the Royals after they rallied from a 3-1 deficit.

The Cardinals lead the NL Central by six games over second-place Pittsburgh, and the Royals are seven ahead of Minnesota atop the AL Central.

This is the latest in a season that two teams from Missouri hold the majors' top two records since the Cardinals and St. Louis Browns did it on Aug. 18, 1944.

St. Louis' staff has a major league-leading 2.67 ERA, and John Lackey (8-5, 2.90 ERA) has been a big part of that of late.

Since allowing 10 runs in a loss at Colorado on June 8, the right-hander is 4-1 with a 1.63 ERA in seven starts. He's been superb at home all year, going 6-2 with a 1.91 ERA in 10 outings.

Lackey allowed one run and 10 hits in seven innings of a 12-2 win over the New York Mets on Saturday.

He gave up three runs in five innings of a 3-2 loss at Kansas City on May 23, and this is the make-up of the June 14 contest he was scheduled to pitch.

The Cardinals, who are opening a season-high 11-game homestand, have won four of their last five after sweeping a two-game set with the Chicago White Sox. Yadier Molina's bases-loaded triple in the eighth inning rallied them for Wednesday's 3-2 victory.

"We know what to do," said Lance Lynn, who allowed two runs in six innings. "You just got to keep grinding out at-bats, making pitches, and trying to make sure that they don't have a huge inning. We've got guys who know how to do that, and it makes it fun around here."

Molina is 9 for 21 with six RBIs in the past four games, collecting three hits in each of the last two. The All-Star catcher is hitting .345 with 14 RBIs in his last 16 meetings with Kansas City.

St. Louis got some help from the Royals, who took two of three from the Pirates after Wednesday's 5-1 victory for their 12th win in 15 games.

Mike Moustakas connected for a three-run homer in the seventh and is 9 for 28 with three homers and eight RBIs in the last eight games.

The third baseman has a .357 average in 11 games at St. Louis, but Eric Hosmer is batting .185 in 24 career meetings overall.

Hosmer, though, enters this matchup hitting .444 (20 for 45) over the last 11 games after getting a solo shot and a double Wednesday.

The Royals are turning to Chris Young (8-5, 3.03), who left Friday's start after 82 pitches due to tightness in his back. He allowed two runs and three hits with four walks in five innings of a 4-2 road win over the White Sox.

"I'm not worried about it," Young said. "It'll be fine."

The right-hander, who was slated to start opposite Lackey last month, is 4-1 with a 1.73 ERA in six road starts this year, winning four straight behind a 1.11 ERA.

Young went six innings in a 5-0 home win over the Cardinals on May 22. He hasn't faced them in St. Louis since 2010 with San Diego.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Red Sox (42-53) at Astros (53-43)

Game: 3
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: July 23, 2015 8:10 PM EDT


The Houston Astros have flexed their muscles in showing why they lead the majors in homers during this series with the Boston Red Sox.

They can complete their first sweep of Boston on Thursday night by sending the visiting Red Sox to a season-high eighth straight loss.

Houston (53-43) has outhomered Boston 4-0 through two games of this series. Struggling Chris Carter went deep in Tuesday's 8-3 victory, then Preston Tucker recorded his first career multihomer game and Evan Gattis also connected in Wednesday's 4-2 win to account for all of the runs for the Astros.

"We ... scored all of our runs on the home run, which we can do that from time to time," said manager A.J. Hinch, whose team has hit 132 homers. "We've got a little bit of power."

The punchless Red Sox (42-53) have one homer during their losing streak and now try to avoid their first eight-game slide since Aug. 17-24. They are batting .192 with nine runs scored while going 8 for 45 with runners in scoring position in six games on this road trip, which ends Thursday.

"We just haven't put it together, and that is basically it," second baseman Dustin Pedroia said. "When we get guys on, we have to find a way to get them in."

Boston will get its second look at rookie Lance McCullers (4-3, 2.52 ERA), who allowed one run in five innings and did not get a decision in a 5-4 loss at Fenway Park on July 5. The right-hander has 71 strikeouts, most recently getting 10 on July 12 when he was charged with four runs over six innings in a 4-3 defeat at Tampa Bay.

McCullers is 3-0 with a 1.20 ERA in five home starts, including three straight victories.

The Red Sox will start Wade Miley (8-8, 4.49), who had a no-hitter through six and ended up allowing one hit in seven-plus scoreless innings in Friday's 1-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. He had a 6.88 ERA in his three previous outings.

"Wade was outstanding," manager John Farrell said. "He was aggressive and he threw a lot of strikes."

The left-hander is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA in three career starts versus the Astros. Jose Altuve is 5 for 9 with two doubles against him and Gattis is 3 for 5 with two doubles.

Altuve is riding a 15-game hitting streak at home, batting .389 with 15 runs. Rookie shortstop Carlos Correa is 9 for 24 during a season-best, seven-game hitting streak.

Pedroia had a double in four at-bats to improve to 1 for 22 in six games since missing 16 with a right hamstring strain. His double play partner, Xander Bogaerts, is 3 for 8 in this series and hitting .400 with 13 RBIs in 16 games in July.

Farrell plans to start Mookie Betts, who was benched Wednesday due to a 1-for-20 slump after the All-Star break. Betts batted .327 in his 12 games prior to it.

"He clearly got out of the rhythm and the routine and where he was doing such a good job with some hard, line-drive type contact (before the break)," Farrell told MLB's official website.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Brewers (42-53) at Diamondbacks (43-50)

Game: 1
Venue: Chase Field
Date: July 23, 2015 9:40 PM EDT

Craig Counsell helped the Arizona Diamondbacks win a World Series as a player, and now has the Milwaukee Brewers making progress since taking over as their manager.

Still a fan favorite in Arizona, Counsell returns for the first time in his current role Thursday night when the Brewers try to extend the Diamondbacks' rough stretch.

Counsell played for five teams and won two World Series titles, most recently during the first of two stints with the Arizona in 2001 when he was named NLCS MVP. Diamondback fans can't forget Counsell's hustle and should give him a warm reception in the series opener.

"It's a big deal when you win a World Series," he told MLB's official website.

Though Milwaukee (42-53) remains last in the NL Central, it's 35-35 since Counsell replaced the fired Ron Roenicke in early May. The Brewers' four-game winning streak ended with Wednesday's 7-5 defeat to Cleveland, their fifth loss in the last 19 games.

"You focus on the game the next day," said Counsell, whose club has totaled 27 runs and 50 hits in the last four contests. "Everybody's done a good job of that."

The subject of trade rumors, ex-Diamondback Gerardo Parra is batting .390 in his last 28 contests.

"I'm lost for words to say about him but it's fun watching him play right now," Counsell said. "He's just been exceptional, he really has."

Parra and the Brewers get the first look at Zack Godley when he makes his major league debut for Arizona (43-50). Acquired from the Chicago Cubs in the December deal involving Miguel Montero, the right-hander was at Class A Visalia before going 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA in three starts for Double-A Mobile.

"We felt like this guy has kind of epitomized what we're trying to get through as an organization," manager Chip Hale said. "He's a big competitor and the way he pitches is kind of the way we're looking for."

Godley will try to help the Diamondbacks rebound from their eighth defeat in nine games, 5-3 to Miami on Wednesday. Paul Goldschmidt had two hits to raise his NL-leading average to .343, but he struck out with the bases loaded and nobody out in the ninth.

Arizona, which dropped a season-high seven games under .500, went 3 for 12 with runners in scoring position, and is 5 for 32 in the last four contests.

Including the postseason, Goldschmidt is batting .430 with 10 homers and 26 RBIs in 26 games against the Brewers. He homered three times while recording three straight three-hit games when Arizona took two of three at Milwaukee in May.

Goldschmidt is 2 for 6 with a double and a home run off Mike Fiers (5-7, 3.79), another potential trade candidate who has gone 2-0 with a 2.18 ERA while Milwaukee's won his last five starts. The right-hander allowed a homer, two other hits and struck out seven with a walk in seven innings of a 4-1 victory over Pittsburgh on Friday.

'Not really a secret, just being aggressive,' Fiers said. 'Command's big. Not walking guys. Making them earn their way on. Just being aggressive, going after them and trusting in my stuff.'

He's 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA against the Diamondbacks, but last faced them in 2013.

It's uncertain if Fiers will face David Peralta after the left fielder was hit in the shoulder and head by a pitch from Jose Fernandez on Wednesday. Peralta said he passed medical tests after the game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB roundup: Bolsinger, Dodgers beat Braves
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

ATLANTA -- The Los Angeles Dodgers were in desperate need of a quality start from the back end of their rotation, and Mike Bolsinger supplied it Wednesday.

Bolsinger allowed just three hits and an unearned run over seven innings and the Dodgers salvaged the final game of the series with a 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves at a sweltering Turner Field.

The Dodgers scored all three runs in the fifth inning, on an RBI single by Alberto Callaspo, an RBI double by Jimmy Rollins and an RBI single by Joc Pederson.

Atlanta starter Julio Teheran gave up all three runs and allowed six hits and three walks over seven innings. He struck out 11.

Nationals 4, Mets 3

WASHINGTON -- Danny Espinosa hit a two-out double to drive in Michael A. Taylor and break a tie during a three-run eighth as Washington came back to beat New York and take the rubber gamer of the three-game set.

Taylor had a two-run, two-out single in the eighth off reliever Bobby Parnell to the game at 3-3. Espinosa then came through with the game-winner against Parnell (1-1).

The winning pitcher was Matt Thornton (1-0), who pitched a scoreless eighth, while Drew Storen got his 29th save with a perfect ninth.

The first-place Nationals extended their lead to three games over the Mets, who have lost four of the last five to Washington.

Phillies 5, Rays 4 (10 innings)

PHILADELPHIA -- The Phillies finished a successful homestand with a celebration, beating Tampa Bay on Odubel Herrera's RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning.

Ben Revere went 3-for-5 with an RBI to raise his batting average to .300, while Domonic Brown also collected three hits and scored the winning run after singling in the 10th.

The Phillies have won back-to-back series for the first time this season and are 5-1 to start the second half.

Indians 7, Brewers 5

MILWAUKEE -- Michael Brantley had three hits, including a three-run home run, and Cleveland bullpen allowed only one run over the final 6 1/3 innings.

Brantley, a former Brewers prospect who was shipped to Cleveland in the 2008 trade that brought C.C. Sabathia to Milwaukee, finished a triple short of the cycle and extended his hitting streak to five games as Cleveland ended an eight-game losing streak against Milwaukee.

Brewers first baseman Adam Lind finished with four hits and four RBIs, including a two-run home run in the first inning.

Rangers 10, Rockies 8

DENVER -- Texas blew an early five-run lead but beat Colorado when Elvis Andrus singled home two runs in the ninth.

The Rockies, who fell behind 5-0 in the second, tied the game at 8 with a four-run eighth. Nick Hundley hit his seventh homer with one out, and Carlos Gonzalez hit his 14th homer, a three-run shot with two outs off Tanner Scheppers (3-2).

Rougned Odor, who atoned for making two errors on the same play in the fourth, finished a double shy of the cycle as he drove in two runs and scored three.

Giants 7, Padres 1

SAN DIEGO -- Buster Posey lined a two-run double to right field in the seventh inning to propel San Francisco over San Diego.

The Padres led 1-0 after five innings before San Francisco tied the game on Brandon Belt's two-out homer in the sixth and scored three runs in both the seventh and eighth innings -- all against the Padres' bullpen after James Shields had departed.

The Giants' second straight win made a winner of Matt Cain (2-1) and was the reigning World Series champions' eighth win in the last nine games. Cain allowed one run -- a homer by Jedd Gyorko in the second inning -- on five hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out six.

Yankees 4, Orioles 3

NEW YORK -- Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez homered, leading New York past Baltimore.

The Yankees improved to a season-best 11 games above .500 while beating the Orioles for the fifth time in six games at Yankee Stadium.

Teixeira hit his 24th home run of the season with one out in the first inning off Baltimore right-hander Kevin Gausman (1-2). Rodriguez hit his 20th with one out in the fifth, also off Gausman.

Reds 9-5, Cubs 1-6

CINCINNATI -- Pinch hitter Taylor Teagarden's RBI single off Cincinnati closer Aroldis Chapman drove home the go-ahead run, lifting the Chicago Cubs to a victory in the second game of a day-night doubleheader.

Joey Votto homered and Mike Leake allowed one run and four hits in eight innings in the Reds' victory in the afternoon game.

Reds left fielder Marlon Byrd prevented the Cubs from scoring the go-ahead run in the eighth inning of the nightcap when he threw out Dexter Fowler attempting to score on Anthony Rizzo's single. The play was reviewed to determine whether Reds catcher Brayan Pena violated the home-plate collision rule, but replay confirmed he did not.

Tigers 9, Mariners 4

DETROIT -- Nick Castellanos' grand slam highlighted an eight-run, third-inning outburst, and Detroit overcame two Nelson Cruz home runs in a victory over Seattle.

Castellanos' eighth home run of the season helped Anibal Sanchez (10-7) win his seventh consecutive decision. Sanchez allowed four runs and nine hits in 6 2/3 innings while striking out six. Joakim Soria got the last four outs for his 22nd save.

Ian Kinsler contributed four hits, including two during the highest scoring inning of the season for Detroit. He scored twice and knocked in a run.

Royals 5, Pirates 1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer homered, lifting Kansas City past Pittsburgh.

The Royals scored four runs in the seventh, highlighted by Moustakas' three-run homer with two outs. Jarrod Dyson's safety squeeze bunt single brought home Omar Infante for the first run of the inning.

Right-hander Edinson Volquez (9-5) claimed the victory, holding the Pirates to a run over 7 2/3 innings. He struck out eight, one shy of his season high, and yielded eight hits.

Astros 4, Red Sox 2

HOUSTON -- Rookie Preston Tucker socked two home runs, and Collin McHugh proved elusive enough to help Houston beat Boston.

Tucker slugged his seventh and eighth home runs of the season and provided the Astros with a four-run lead through five innings. It was the first multi-homer game of his career.

McHugh (11-5) faced 13 batters in the first four innings and then had to weave in and out of trouble to complete seven innings. While McHugh allowed two runs, both in the sixth, he stranded five baserunners between the fifth and seventh, his last inning, to maintain control.

Cardinals 3, White Sox 2

CHICAGO -- Yadier Molina's bases-clearing triple in the eighth inning helped lift St. Louis to a come-from-behind victory over Chicago.

Molina's liner to the right field corner off David Robertson drove home Randal Grichuk, Pete Kozma and Jason Heyward.

Cardinals reliever Miguel Socolovich (4-1) worked the seventh inning for the win. Trevor Rosenthal pitched a one-two-three ninth for his 29th save.

Marlins 5, Diamondbacks 3

PHOENIX -- Jose Fernandez struck out a season-high 11 in seven innings, doubled in a run and scored another in Miami's victory over Arizona.

Fernandez (3-0) doubled in the final run of a three-run second inning for a 3-0 lead the Marlins never lost. He gave up five hits and walked two -- his first two walks of the season -- in his fourth start since returning from Tommy John surgery.

J.T. Realmuto and Ichiro Suzuki each had an extra-base hit, drove in a run and scored for the Marlins, who won their second in a row.

Angels 5, Twins 2

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Johnny Giavotella and Kole Calhoun combined for half of the Angels' 12 hits, leading Los Angeles past Minnesota. However, the Angels lost third baseman David Freese for at least two weeks with a broken right index finger.

C.J. Wilson (8-7) got the win, but needed help from his bullpen after making 105 pitches in a five-inning outing. Wilson gave up two runs on six hits and two walks, then got stellar relief from Fernando Salas, Trevor Gott, Joe Smith and Huston Street (25th save), who combined to shut out the Twins on three hits over the final four innings.

Street became the 27th pitcher in major league history to record 300 career saves.

A's 4, Blue Jays 3 (10 innings)

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Pinch hitter Ike Davis' infield single with two outs in the 10th scored Josh Reddick from third base, giving Oakland a victory over Toronto.

The victory came five innings after A's manager Bob Melvin was ejected from the game. Melvin nonetheless was credited with his 369th win as A's manager, moving him into third place on the Oakland list.

Reddick, a late-game replacement, set up Davis' heroics with an opposite-field double with one out in the 10th off Roberto Osuna (1-4). Reddick took third on third baseman Brett Lawrie's grounder before Davis beat out a ground ball to shortstop.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Nationals 3B Escobar leaves game
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

WASHINGTON -- Washington Nationals third baseman Yunel Escobar left Wednesday's game with the New York Mets while he was batting in the second inning against starter Noah Syndergaard.

Escobar was shaken up after trying to check his swing and appeared to hold his left wrist. He stayed on the ground momentarily and took a few minutes before stepping back into the box.

Escobar fouled off the next pitch down the third base line and was then replaced by pinch hitter Dan Uggla with a 1-2 count. Uggla took the only pitch he saw for strike three and the first out of the inning, though the strikeout was charged to Escobar since he left with two strikes.

Uggla then went to second base in the top of the third and Danny Espinosa, the starting second baseman, moved to third.

Escobar has had a stellar season in his first year in Washington. He has hit leadoff much of the year but also hit cleanup a few games to try and give right fielder Bryce Harper some protection in the Nationals' lineup. Escobar entered the game hitting .322 with five homers and 30 RBIs.

The Nationals already have four regulars on the disabled list: left fielder Jayson Werth, center fielder Denard Span, infielder Anthony Rendon and first baseman Ryan Zimmerman. The Nationals did not immediately announce what was wrong with Escobar.

Washington (50-42) leads second-place New York (49-45) by two games in the National League East.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Royals LHP Vargas suffers torn UCL
The Sports Xchange

Kansas City Royals left-hander Jason Vargas was placed back on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday, a day after suffering a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow.

The team did not provide an immediate prognosis, but the injury typically requires Tommy John surgery.

The Royals recalled right-hander Yordano Ventura, who had been sent to Triple-A as Vargas made his first start Tuesday since going on the disabled list June 9 with a left flexor strain.

Vargas left the Royals' 3-1 win against the Pittsburgh Pirates after throwing just 26 pitches. The preliminary diagnosis was left medial elbow pain, and an MRI exam Wednesday revealed the torn ligament.

Vargas already has spent two stints on the disabled list this season because of the elbow. The 32-year-old is in his second year of a four-year deal that guarantees him $8.5 million this season and next and $8 million in 2017.

He is 5-2 with a 3.98 ERA in nine starts this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Padres demote INF Middlebrooks
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

Will Middlebrooks, who has struggled at the plate while trying to convert to shortstop at midseason, was demoted to San Diego's Triple-A affiliate in El Paso on Wednesday and will return to third base.

Middlebrooks, who was acquired from the Boston Red Sox last offseason, is hitting just .212 and has two hits in his last 20 at-bats. He also committed two errors at shortstop on Sunday and was replaced in the starting lineup Monday by Alexi Amarista, who committed an error in San Diego's 4-2 win vs. the San Francisco Giants.

Middlebrooks is being sent down to work on his hitting, and interim manager Pat Murphy said he will go back to playing third base.

"We'd like him to come back as our third baseman," Murphy said.

That is an about-face from the past two weeks, when the Padres tried Middlebrooks at shortstop. He had been expected to share time at the spot with Clint Barmes.

"(It's) asking him to do a whole lot, but he's just the type of guy who can do it because he's so athletic," Murphy said last weekend. "I think it's rejuvenated him a little bit. It's a work in progress. It's not anything that's going to be easy, but he's making it look easy right now. There's a lot to learn; he knows that."

After Middlebrooks committed his errors Sunday in a postponed game against the Colorado Rockies, Murphy said, "We knew there were going to be days like that, and you saw it first-hand."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Yankees slumping with Tichenor behind the plate
Andrew Avery

The New York Yankees are just 1-4 in their last five ball games with umpire Todd Tichenor calling balls and strikes behind home plate. Tichenor will be working the Yankees' meeting with the Baltimore Orioles Thursday afternoon.

Tichenor has not worked a Yanks' game behind home yet this season, but did work three in 2014. The Yankees went 1-2 in those games, including two losses to the Orioles: 14-5 on April 8 and 2-1 on September 4.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Dodgers cashing Under bets in Kershaw's starts
Andrew Avery

The Under has gone 5-0 in the last five Los Angeles Dodgers' games when lefty Clayton Kershaw gets the start. Kershaw is scheduled to take the mound when the Dodgers meet the New York Mets at Citi Field Thursday.

Over the course of those five starts, Kershaw has allowed just five earned runs in 38 innings of work. His last time out, he went eight strong and didn't allow a run as the Dodgers trumped the Washington Nationals 4-2 on July 18 finishing below the closing total of 7.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Pirates getting wins in Liriano's home starts
Andrew Avery

The Pittsburgh Pirates are 4-0 in the last four ball games that Francisco Liriano has starter at PNC Park. The 31-year-old lefty is scheduled to get the ball as the Buccos tangle with the Washington Nationals Thursday.

Those Pirates' wins have come against the Chicago White Sox (11-0), Atlanta Braves (3-2), San Diego Padres (3-2) and, most recently, the St. Louis Cardinals (6-5).

Liriano has figured in the decision just once in those previous four trips to the mound in front of the home fans. He owns a record of just 2-4 in 10 home starts and has an ERA of 3.86.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'On the Diamond'

The meeting between Athletics and Blue Jays Thursday afternoon is one that will give Toronto backers pause. Moving up a day with Drew Hutchison scratched due to the flu, Dickey gets the call for John Gibbons' crew. The Blue Jays could be in a mound of trouble. The knuckler is 0-7 in enemy territory this season with Jays 1-8 in his nine road starts. What should really have Toronto backers sitting this one out or fading their favorite team is the fact Dickey's teams are 1-4 in his career starts in Oakland. Dickey matching pitches with A's Kazmir is more bad news for Toronto. The A's hurler fresh off a dominant performance in front of the home crowd yielding just one run over 8 1/3 innings has been light's out the past five at O.co Coliseum allowing 5 runs, striking out 27 batters while walking 7 over 38 2/3 innings of work.