Thursday, June 16
MLB
Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays
Clay Buchholz (5-3, 3.59 ERA) – Red Sox vs David Price (7-5, 3.51 ERA) – Rays
Going into this series, the Red Sox were on a tear, having won nine straight games. Whatever hole the Red Sox dug themselves into by starting the season 0-6, they are out of it. The BoSox have surged to the best record in the American league, with a .600 winning percentage as of Tuesday morning. Boston leads the Major Leagues in runs scored, batting average (.276), on base percentage (.349), and slugging percentage (.450).
The Tampa Bay Rays started the season with a similarly rough start, but have since rallied and played musical chairs with the American League East lead with the New York Yankees and Red Sox. They have since slipped to third place as of Tuesday morning, but only 4.5 games back of first place Boston. The Rays are near the top of the major leagues in an assortment of pitching categories, including a batting average against average of .239 (3rd in MLB).
David Price will get the ball for the Rays. Price has only walked nine batters during the entire season and has pitched over 97 innings already. We’re in the middle of June! Clay Buchholz of the Red Sox earned a win in his last start, against the Toronto Blue Jays, but it is his only win in the last month. I like Price and I like the Rays in this contest.
Advantages – Game: Rays, Series: Rays
 |
| The Red Sox may be playing second fiddle in Boston during this series. 1 |
Friday, June 17
MLB
Philadelphia Phillies at Seattle Mariners
Roy Oswalt (4-4, 3.14 ERA) - Phillies vs Michael Pineda (6-4, 2.72 ERA) – Mariners
The Mariners have quietly come back from the American League West cellar and have positioned themselves within striking distance of the American League West leading Texas Rangers. While only two games back of the Rangers as of Tuesday morning, the Mariners have cooled down since their May surge, dropping six of their last ten games. The Mariners have lived and died with pitching, pitching, pitching.
The normally unflappable Ichiro Suzuki (.268, 0 HR, 21 RBI) has an uncharacteristically average batting average, though, as of June 13th, he was riding a string of three consecutive multi hit games. While Jusitn Smoak (.252, 12 HR, 38 RBI) has delivered respectable power numbers, the Mariners bats have been limp, dead last in the majors with a .229 batting average as of Tuesday morning. They will be relying on young fireballer Michael Pineda in this matchup. Pineda has a batting average against of .208 and has 80 strikeouts on the year, but is winless in his last four starts.
The Philadelphia Phillies continue to roll, winning 6 of their last 8 games. Roy Oswalt broke a streak of consecutive losses in his last four decisions with a win against the Cubs over this past weekend. Still, Oswalt has suffered more from lack of run support than good pitching, as two of those losses were of the “hard luck” variety.
Until going 0 for 1 in a pinch hitting appearance last Sunday, Phillies third baseman Placido Polanco (.309, 4 HR, 37 RBI) had reached base safely in 16 consecutive games. However, beyond Polanco, the Phillies have had touch and go run production. They will need Oswalt to be his effective and will need to seize every opportunity that the Mariners’ pitching allows.
Advantages – Game: Phillies, Series: Phillies
 |
| Can anyone explain to me what a moose has to do with seamen? Good thing this game isn't being played in Alaska. 2 |
MLB
Texas Rangers at Atlanta Braves
Matt Harrison (5-6, 3.31 ERA) – Rangers vs Derek Lowe (3-5, 4.02 ERA) – Braves
Braves right fielder Jason Heyward (.214, 7 HR, 14 RBI) returned to the line up for the first time since May 21 (shoulder injury). This comes not a moment too soon for a second place Braves team that has lacked power at the plate, yet needs to keep pace with the National League East leading Philadelphia Phillies. Assuming Heyward is fully recovered (or almost fully recovered) he should provide a much needed lift to the Braves batting order. Starting pitcher Derek Lowe will need the additional help he has been unable to record a win since May 6.
Nelson Cruz (.225, 15 HR, 34 RBI) has gone ice cold after being close to the top of the American League homerun race, hitless in four consecutive games as of Wednesday morning, while Adrian Beltre (.265, 12 HR, 48 RBI) continues to provide power for the Rangers. Matt Harrison, starting for the Rangers, will need their help if he is to record his first win in June.
Advantages – Game: Rangers, Series: Braves
Sunday, June 19
MLB
New York Yankees at Chicago Cubs
C.C. Sabathia (8-4, 3.28) - Yankees vs Randy Wells (1-1, 6.50 ERA) – Cubs
The Yankees are in a dead heat with the Boston Red Sox in the American League East. They need to come away with at least two wins in their very rare road trip to Chicago’s Wrigley Field. They could not stack the odds much more in their favor on Sunday than by starting the ever reliable fireballer C.C. Sabathia. The big man has won 5 of his last 6 decisions. While the Yankees will be without the services of future Hall of Fame shortstop Derek Jeter (.260, 2 HR, 20 RBI), on the 15 Day Disabled List with a calf injury, third baseman Alex Rodriguez (.288, 13 HR, 42 RBI) and centerfielder Curtis Granderson (.282, 21 HR, 51 RBI) continue to contribute to the awesome power of the Yankees’ lineup.
The Cubs have problems. In 5th place in the National League Central, there appears to be little relief in sight. Teams that are struggling have cause to look forward to playing the Cubs. So, of course, a team contending in the pennant race has even more cause for optimism. Cubs starting pitcher Randy Wells is part of a Cubs pitching staff that is at or near dead last in the majors several team pitching categories, including ranking last in team ERA, quality starts, and walks and hits per innings pitched. Wells, who has not recorded a win in over two months, had his first start of the season without surrendering a homerun on Tuesday. Perhaps the future is brighter for Wells, but not against the Yankees and certainly not against C.C.
Advantages – Game: Yankees, Series: Yankees
USGA
U.S. Open – Final Round
Phil Mickelson is not Tiger Woods, who is sitting out of the U.S. Open due to injury. But, if you can’t get a steak, a juicy pork chop can be satisfying. If Mickelson is near the top of the leaderboard, heading into the final round on Sunday, the U.S. Open could be compelling to watch, even for the casual golf fan. Rory McIlroy, after his near miss at the 2011 Masters, could also provide a compelling storyline, in spite of having a face that looks like “a half-chewed caramel”, according to CBS golf analyst David Feherty.
I wish someone would hurry up and give Tiger his “medicine” so he can get back on the golf course!
 |
| When asked if Rory McIlroy (left) had a sister, Feherty replied, "I hope not! He has a face like a half-chewed caramel!" McIlroy is 22 years old with enormous potential, but I don't think he will ever...EVER have to worry about having Tiger Woods' litany of problems, no matter how hard he tries. 3 |
Monday, June 20
New York Yankees at Cincinnati Reds
Ivan Nova (5-4, 4.30 ERA) – Yankees vs Johnny Cueto (3-2, 1.93 ERA) – Reds
Even the casual baseball fan may be aware of the three way dogfight in the American League East between the Yankees, Rays, and Red Sox. The story that may be flying under the radar is the similar three way tug-of-war between the Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, and Milwaukee Brewers, separated by 2.5 games. At the moment, the Reds are in third place, but they could easily be in first place after one series, or anyplace else in between.
Cincinnati has struggled badly with its starting pitching this year. Johnny Cueto, however, has been an exception to that rule. Cueto is riding a string of five consecutive quality starts, including wins in his last two starts with no earned runs allowed in those two starts. Cueto’s ERA in the month of June is 0.86. That is NOT his blood-alcohol count after his last win; it’s his ERA.
Ivan Nova will get the ball for the Yankees. Matching wits against a red hot Cueto and facing a batting order that includes two ball crushers in Jay Bruce (.282, 17 HR, 48 RBI) and Joey Votto (.331, 9 HR, 43 RBI), Nova will have his work cut out for him. Nova earned wins in his last two starts, but puts more runners on base than the average Major League starter on a contending team. This tips the scale in favor of the hometown Reds.
Advantages – Game: Reds, Series: Yankees
Tennis
Wimbledon Championships begin, from Wimbledon, England
Coverage from jolly old England begins this coming Monday morning. Coming on the heels of several compelling French Open matchups, Wimbledon is sure to offer the kind of action that the best of the best bring to this major event. Personally, I am looking forward to seeing Rafael Nadal build upon his epic victory over Roger Federer at the French Open. I would also like to see if Andy Roddick has anything left in the tank for a Grand Slam event.
Defending women’s champion Serena Williams will be seeded 7th in this year’s Wimbledon, meaning she will not likely face a marquis opponent until the later rounds of the tournament, should she advance. Watching Serena with a chip on her shoulder, as I would expect her to feel like she has something to prove, should make for entertaining action. Expect two weeks of high drama and fast-flying balls!
 |
| Will tennis ever be as entertaining as when Johnny Mac was a headliner? 4 |
Tuesday, June 21
Philadelphia Phillies at St. Louis Cardinals
Roy Halladay (9-3, 2.56 ERA) - Phillies vs Kyle McClellan (6-3, 3.96 ERA) – Cardinals
Roy Halladay has kept on rolling this year. Halladay has pitched for 7 or more innings in his last 11 consecutive starts, earning seven wins during that run. The Phillies are winners of six straight and Halliday will give them the best chance, among their starters, to continue that string.
Kyle McClellan of the Cardinals has not been quite as hot, being touched up in his last two starts, both losses. However, facing a spotty Phillies batting order, McLellan, who has only issued 2 walks in his last four starts, can afford to pitch to contact in this game. He will have to be on his game if the Cardinals are to snap their string of 5 consecutive losses.
Halladay is the man, but he will face a batting order with a rejuvenated Lance Berkman (.313, 17 HR, 48 RBI) and Matt Holliday (.342, 6 HR, 31 RBI) in addition to Albert Pujols (.272, 15 HR, 42 RBI). Pujols did not reach base yesterday in a 10-0 loss to the Washington Nationals, snapping a string of 14 consecutive games in which Pujols reached base. Phat Albert has 6 homeruns and 11 RBIs in the month of June, so whatever “slump” or “struggles” he was experiencing at the beginning of the season are gone.
Advantages – Game: Philies, Series: Phillies
 |
| "Doc" Halladay? 5 |
Tampa Bay Rays at Milwaukee Brewers
Wade Davis (5-5, 4.81 ERA) – Rays vs Shaun Marcum (7-2, 2.68 ERA) – Brewers
This is far from a natural, long-standing rivalry. However, it is an important series and die-hard fans of up to six different teams should be paying attention (Brewers, Rays, Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals, Reds) to this three game interleague series between the first place Brewers and the third place Rays.
Shaun Marcum of the Brewers has been a quiet assassin for the Brew Crew. Reversing the trend from the 2010 Brewers, who struggled with starting pitching, Marcum is quietly inserting himself into the National League Cy Young race. Marcum mowed down the free swinging St. Louis Cardinals in his last start, a win, with 8 strikeouts in 7 innings pitched.
Wade Davis has not been so hot, at a time in which the Rays are slipping in the American League East race. Davis won in his last start, though not a quality start. It was his first win in over a month. Davis has not earned a win in a quality start since April. Facing a Brewers lineup that includes Ryan Braun (.311, 13 HR, 49 RBI) Prince Fielder (.302, 19 HR, 59 RBI), and Ricky Weeks (.288, 13 HR, 31 RBI), Davis’ task to reverse the trend of his recent performances will not get any easier.
This game has an afternoon start time. So if you are a Rays or Brewers fan and you were thinking of "being sick" one day this week to goof off and watch baseball, Wednesday is as good as any day!
Advantages – Game: Brewers, Series: Push
Don’t forget to vote in the fan polls!
To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.
1) Image from heraldnews.com
2) Image from free-extras.com
3) Image from huffingtonpost.com
4) Image from nydailynews.com
5) Image from thefightins.com
No comments:
Post a Comment