With a full slate of games on tap for Saturday, let's take a look at some notes and nuggets to get you ready for bets galore. Keep in mind that all of these stats apply before Friday's results...


Tribe lefty C.C. Sabathia has a 10-3 career record against the White Sox. (Getty)
--Cleveland LHP C.C. Sabathia faces the White Sox today for the third time this year. The southpaw has already beaten Chicago twice this year. For his career, Sabathia owns a 10-3 record and 4.20 lifetime ERA against the White Sox.

--Texas RHP John Wasdin gets his first start of the year today at Boston. I saw Wasdin pitch in high school for Tallahassee Godby in the late 1980s, and it's a credit to him that he's still drawing a paycheck in the big leagues. The veteran right-hander is 36-36 (not bad) with a 5.25 career ERA (not good) in 308 lifetime appearances. My most vivid memory of Wasdin is from the late 1990s, when he did his best Robin Ventura impression (remember that seven-eye-dot foray Ventura took from Nolan Ryan?) by calling Andres "Big Cat" Galarraga to the mound after beaning him at Colorado. The Big Cat promptly accepted Wasdin's invitation and went to town on Wasdin's head with a flurry of upper-hooks.

--Cincinnati LHP Brandon Claussen hasn't had much success against the Cubs, losing to them twice already this season. Claussen has a 1-5 record and 7.36 career ERA versus Chicago.

--Although his season stats (5-5, 5.16 ERA) indicate mediocrity for Washington RHP Livan Hernandez, those numbers don't tell the whole story. Hernandez, the veteran innings-eater who earned World Series MVP honors back in 1997, has been outstanding recently with wins in each of his last four starts.

--Philadelphia RHP Cory Lidle will oppose Hernandez at RFK Stadium. Lidle has made a pair of starts against the Nationals this year, losing in both outings with the Phillies getting outscored 13-5 combined.

--Watch out for the Nationals, who are 14-5 dating back to May 20th. Frank Robinson's squad was awful out of the gate, losing nine of its first 11 games, but Washington has rebounded with Alfonso Soriano leading the way (.310 average, 23 HRs, 46 RBIs). The Nats are nine games back of the NL East-leading Mets (before Friday's finals).

--The 'over' is 5-0 in Noah Lowry's home starts. The southpaw will get the starting nod today against the Pirates.

--Speaking of Pittsburgh, its struggles on the road (abysmal 5-25 record) have been well documented in this space. However, we must note that today's starter, RHP Ian Snell, has won in each of his last four assignments with a pair of those victories coming on the road (at Cleveland and at Colorado).

--St. Louis has won five in a row when Jason Marquis takes the hill. The right-hander will take aim at the Brewers tonight at Milwaukee. Ned Yost's club will counter with Chris Capuano, who has been nothing short of sensational at home. Capuano is 4-1 with a 2.75 ERA in six home outings. The Brewers and the 'under' have prevailed in five of those six starts.

--Florida is 4-1 in LHP Scott Olsen's five road starts. The southpaw will take the ball tonight at San Diego.