[Willie Bee]

Tigers at the Angels, 3:35 p.m. ET

This contest gets my vote for most intriguing pitching matchup on today's slate - Mike Maroth v. John Lackey. Something has to give here.

Maroth enters the game with an 18-inning scoreless streak, 3-0 record in three starts this season and a microscopic 0.49 ERA. He's 2-0 on the road so far, and a groundball pitcher deluxe.

Left-handed batters need not apply against Maroth who has limited them to just two hits in 18 AB so far, well below his .267 career average against lefties entering this season. In six starts against the Angels since 2003, Maroth is 4-0 despite a rather lofty 5.02 ERA (38.2 IP). He's 2-0, 5.59 ERA in three starts at the Big A. Long balls have been his Achilles against this squad. Vlad Guerrero (.364, 2 HR, 11 AB), Garret Anderson (.308, HR, 13 AB) and Chone Figgins (.333 AVG, .444 OB%, 15 AB, 18 PA) are the Angels hitters he needs to focus greatest on.

Lackey is 2-1 with a 4.13 ERA so far in four starts, and is coming off a no-decision in which he walked seven at Oakland over five innings while burning 113 tosses. Like Maroth, he's been deadly to left-handed hitters this season (.132, 38 AB) though they account for all nine of his walks to date in 2006. Entering this season, lefties were beating him to the tune of a .288 average since 2003.

Just as Maroth is unbeaten against the Angels, Lackey is 4-0 in six career starts versus the Tigers with a 4.14 ERA. Brandon Inge (.313, 16 AB), Craig Monroe (.333 AVG, .500 OB%, 9 AB, 12 PA) and Magglio Ordoñez (3-for-6, HR) have given Lackey the most trouble throughout his career.

Detroit is 11-3 on the road so far with a solid pitcher on the mound in this one. They opened +116 and are now (11:20 a.m. CT) at +123.

[Willie Bee]

Nationals at Cardinals, 8:10 p.m. ET

Couple of reasons I’d like to see this one. First, I like to see MLB debuts which is what Washington’s Michael O’Connor is making today as the starting pitcher for the Nationals. The 6-3, 170-pound native of Dallas throws from the port side, will turn 26 this August and attended George Washington University. He’s been chunking for the New Orleans Zephyrs (AAA) so far this season, making four starts with no record, a 2.41 ERA and 20 strikeouts in an out less than 19 IP. He was Washington’s minor league pitcher of the year last season while in Single-A. He was a 7th-round pick by the then-Expos in the 2002 draft, and has averaged more than a strikeout per inning during his minor league career.

I’d also like to see Cardinals pitcher Sydney Ponson toss. Haven’t seen him yet this year and he’s been doing ok after a career that seemed to be bottoming out and possibly ending in Baltimore last season. Ponson is 2-0 with a 3.31 ERA and has really had his heavy sinker working this year. St. Louis is 2-1 in his three starts and averaging 6.3 runs per game Ponson pitches. Royce Clayton and Nick Johnson are the batters most likely to give him trouble.

Coming off a 3-game sweep of Pittsburgh, the Cardinals are hot with six wins in their last seven and nine of their last 11. The Nationals were just swept at home by the Reds and are currently sucking pond water on a 4-game losing streak that has them 7-14 on the season.

WEATHER: Should be a nice day in the Gateway City. Looking for highs this afternoon in mid-70s with a 1st-pitch temp tonight in the low-to-mid 60s, cooling into the 50s after the sun sets. Skies should be clear with not much wind (what little there is should be blowing out at less than 5 MPH).