MLB
Texas Rangers at Detroit Tigers
Alexi Ogando (10-5, 2.88 ERA) – Rangers vs Brad Penny (7-8, 4.89 ERA) – Tigers
This is an important series between two first place teams in close division races. If you were thinking about taking a half day at work for some “me” time, this is a matchup worth ditching work for to make it to the ball game (or the tube).
Alexi Ogando has pitched exceptionally well this season and has made runs (and wins) very hard to come by for the opposition this year. The Rangers, led by designated hitter Michael Young (.334, 9 HR, 73 RBI), have been smashing the ball all over the park. Miguel Cabrera (.314, 22 HR, 69 RBI) and the Tigers swing some heavy lumber, too, but I think the starting pitching matchup tips the scales in favor of the Rangers in this afternoon’s game and the Rangers avoid the sweep (Tigers lead the 3 game series, 2-0).
Advantages: Game – Rangers, Series – Tigers
 |
| How to hit off of Alexi Ogando: 1) Swing 2) Pray 3) Repeat 1 |
Philadelphia Phillies at San Francisco Giants
Vance Worley (7-1, 2.33 ERA) – Phillies vs Jonathan Sanchez (4-5, 3.81 ERA)
If you’ve never heard of Vance Worley, you’d better recognize! The Rookie of the Year candidate has been making waves in the Phillies rotation, especially during the absence of veteran starter Roy Oswalt (4-6, 3.79 ERA). Oswalt is expected to make his first start in six weeks in Sunday’s game, the fourth in this four game series. But in the interim, the Phillies can be confident that they have, far and away, the best starting pitching depth in the National League.
The Giants are in danger of losing their season-long grip on first place in the NL West to the Arizona Diamondbacks, who are just one game back of the Giants as of this morning, after the Giants snapped a five game losing streak with a victory over the D-Backs last night. In addition, the Giants will be without the services of Miguel Tejada (.242, 4 HR, 26 RBI), their second best hitter among players with 300 or more at bats this season.
The Phillies, on the other hand are red hot, winners of six straight. I like them in the matchup and the series.
Advantages: Game – Phillies, Series – Phillies
 |
| Once again, it's the man with the master plan; his name is Vance and I THINK YOU BETTER RECOGNIZE! 2 |
Saturday, August 6
World Golf Championships – Bridgestone Invitational: Third Round
Tiger Woods is now BACK. Woods is expected to tee off for the first time, in about two hours, since withdrawing from THE PLAYERS Championship, due to injury, back in May. Rory McIlroy, as of this morning, is under par, opening up the possibility for a Woods-McIlroy showdown. I think the Bridgestone will be the one of the higher rated non-major tournaments of this year.
Get your popcorn ready!
Sunday, August 7
World Golf Championships – Bridgestone Invitational: Final Round
If Woods is in the hunt, you won’t want to miss this!
 |
| Alyse Lahti Johnston (left) is widely rumored to be Woods' new girlfriend. I don't expect Tiger to suffer any golf club injuries as she should know what she's getting herself into. Still, kudos to Tiger. How many of us have hooked up with a woman like this on the rebound AFTER having our names dragged through the mud? 3 |
MLB
New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox
Freddy Garcia (10-7, 3.22 ERA) – Yankees vs Josh Beckett (9-4, 2.20) – Red Sox
The rubber match of this three game series could easily decide who will hold first place in the American League East. The Red Sox, as of this morning, lead the Yankees by a single game. With the Tampa Bay Rays all but faded out of the division race, the East may very well be determined by which team holds the edge in the nine remaining regular season games (three 3-game series – 2 in Boston, one in New York) between the Yankees and Red Sox.
Call Yankees starter Freddy Garcia “Butter” because he’s on a roll! Garcia has won 5 out of his last 6 decisions, in 7 starts. His ERA, during that stretch, is an imposing 2.58 ERA with 29 strikeouts and no home runs surrendered. His opposite number, Josh Beckett, has struck out six or more batters in his last four starts and has not surrendered more than 3 earned runs in a start since June.
This game is a tough one to call, but Beckett’s consistency and the sheer firepower of the Red Sox bats, such as Adrian Gonzalez (.357, 18 HR, 90 RBI), who leads Major League Baseball in batting average, and David “Big Papi” Ortiz (.289, 20 HR, 69 RBI) and the absence of Alex Rodriguez (.295, 13 HR, 52 RBI) from the Yankees lineup in concert with the Fenway Park atmosphere give the Red Sox the advantage in this matchup.
Advantages: Game – Red Sox, Series – Red Sox
Next week: FOOTBALL!!!
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 bleachereport.com
2) Image from astrobrit.blogspot.com
3) Image from heraldsun.com.au
No comments:
Post a Comment