Willie's Wednesday Watch
Twins, Red Sox will try and squeeze in two at soggy Fenway
Following Tuesday's rain the Twins and Red Sox will try and get in a day-nighter at Fenway today. Rain is also in the forecast for CC Sabathia's start at Yankee Stadium.
It’s one of my fantasies, to spend an entire summer driving from one minor league baseball town to another or flying into a major league city on a moment’s notice to catch a game that piques my fancy.
If funds and time and having Bill Dozer for a boss were no object, I’d love to be in Boston on Wednesday to catch Francisco Liriano and the Twins take on the Red Sox at Fenway. I’ve never had a bad time in Boston or at Fenway, that’s part of the reason. And the Liriano, Brad Penny for Boston pitching matchup is also the most intriguing to me for Wednesday’s games.
Hard to believe this will be the first time Liriano has faced the Red Sox. The lefty has matched up against several hitters in their lineup for Wednesday night’s contest slated for a 7:05 p.m. (ET) first pitch. His story is already known unless you’ve been living under a rock the last few seasons. After missing all of 2007, he returned maybe a little too soon to open the ’08 Minnesota season, went down then came back for good in August with nice results.
At 0-3 with a 5.09 ERA to open this season, it’s been anything less than nice and now he faces a lineup that is already scary even with Nick Green at short and Papi hitting under .200, perhaps especially because David Ortiz is off to a bad start and just a swing away from busting out.
Meanwhile Penny is sporting an ERA of 11 in two starts and Boston is a perfect 2-0 in those games, so go figure.
Both teams are in the red to start this season for their backers with the Twins level at 7-7 (-1.50) and Red Sox sitting 7-6 (-1.55).
Tuesday night's game was canceled and will be made up at noon-thirty with Scott Baker going for Minnesota against Boston's Tim Wakefield. And the forecast suggests the makeup game might be the only one the two teams will get through today as rain chances increases as the day progresses in Beantown.
In the meantime on Hump Day this week, there are four daytime events to consider. Note that pitcher stats given are the team’s W-L record in his starts this season.
Marlins (-105) at Pirates (-115, 8½)
Apr. 22, 12:35 p.m.
Florida: RHP Ricky Nolasco (2-1, 6.60) is 0-1 with a 3.12 ERA in a start and a relief appearance against the Pirates in last three seasons, 0-1 in one start (4.50) at PNC Park.
Pittsburgh: LHP Paul Maholm (3-0, 0.87) is off to a strong start obviously with the Bucs 3-0 and him sporting an ERA below one in his first three starts. Last go against Fish was exactly a year ago at PNC Park on Apr 22, 2008, when he went six innings and allowed just one run with six strikeout in a 3-2 win.
Home Plate Ump: Jim Joyce should be calling the pitches withhome teams 2-1 in the early going in his games and totals at 1-2 O/U.
Weather: There’s a 60% chance of rain overnight and a 50% chance on Wednesday with a high of 45°F called for. Winds are WSW at 10-20 MPH (in from left field corner).
Athletics (+220) at Yankees (-260, 9)
Apr. 22, 1:05 p.m.
Oakland: LHP Brett Anderson (0-2, 4.85) was born in Midland where some of the toughest SOBs I have ever met were born. He vastly improved from his first start which was his MLB debut on April 10. This is his third MLB start and first on the road…at new Yankee Stadium.
New York: LHP C.C. Sabathia (1-2, 3.57) hasn’t pitched that poorly since his poor Yankees debut at Baltimore. He’s also running about 4/3 on ground ball outs to fly ball outs. A third 5-walk game at the New Stadium on Wednesday and the fans will give him the business real hard like.
Home Plate Ump: C.B. Buckner. Confrontational and often has a mobile strike zone during a game. All three games he has worked so far this season have gone Over.
Weather: Not looking good with the forecast calling for steady rain during the afternoon and highs in the mid-to-upper 50s. Winds are forecast at SSW at 10-15 MPH (out to left-center).
Rockies (+150) at Diamondbacks (-170, 9)
Apr. 22, 3:30 p.m.
Colorado: Jorge de la Rosa (0-2, 4.50) is not someone you really bet on. He’s coming off a 5.1 IP shutout job after a 4.2 IP, 5 ER performance in his first start as he looks to build some consistency and efficiency in the rotation for the Rox. If you bet Colorado in this game, you are betting on their bullpen and their offense.
Arizona: RHP Dan Haren (0-3, 1.89) hopes his offense shows up. Here’s a guy that has allwed 4 ER in his first three starts combined and lost all three games. He’s 3-1 in his last five starts against the Rockies and 11-6 with a 3.25 ERA at Chase Field in 19 starting assignments.
Home Plate Ump: Dale Scott is behind the plate for this one and has been more pitcher friendly than batter friendly.
Weather: It will be warming to the upper 90s during the day, so check for whether or not they will have the roof open. My guess is they will close it, so look for winds at 1 MPH out of the North, South, East and West.
Padres (-130) at Giants (+115, 8½)
Apr. 22, 3:45 p.m.
San Diego: RHP Chris Young (3-0, 4.86) got off to a great start with solid work in his first two outings before messing his britches in the last start though his SD teammates came back for the win. Edgar Renteria is 4-for-6 with a homer lifetime against Young.
San Francisco: LHP Barry Zito (0-2, 10.00) is off to yet another slow start for the Giants and continues to be the poster child along with Mike Hampton as far as free agent lefthanders go. Both starts this year have been on road where he’s generally been better than at AT&T where he is 7-16 the last three seasons in 31 starts with a 5.12 ERA.
Home Plate Ump: Mark Carlson will call the pitches in today's series finale.
Weather: Should be sunny skies, temps climbing into the mid-to-upper 70s and winds W at 6-12 MPH (out to center) for this one.
Following Tuesday's rain the Twins and Red Sox will try and get in a day-nighter at Fenway today. Rain is also in the forecast for CC Sabathia's start at Yankee Stadium.
It’s one of my fantasies, to spend an entire summer driving from one minor league baseball town to another or flying into a major league city on a moment’s notice to catch a game that piques my fancy.
If funds and time and having Bill Dozer for a boss were no object, I’d love to be in Boston on Wednesday to catch Francisco Liriano and the Twins take on the Red Sox at Fenway. I’ve never had a bad time in Boston or at Fenway, that’s part of the reason. And the Liriano, Brad Penny for Boston pitching matchup is also the most intriguing to me for Wednesday’s games.
Hard to believe this will be the first time Liriano has faced the Red Sox. The lefty has matched up against several hitters in their lineup for Wednesday night’s contest slated for a 7:05 p.m. (ET) first pitch. His story is already known unless you’ve been living under a rock the last few seasons. After missing all of 2007, he returned maybe a little too soon to open the ’08 Minnesota season, went down then came back for good in August with nice results.
At 0-3 with a 5.09 ERA to open this season, it’s been anything less than nice and now he faces a lineup that is already scary even with Nick Green at short and Papi hitting under .200, perhaps especially because David Ortiz is off to a bad start and just a swing away from busting out.
Meanwhile Penny is sporting an ERA of 11 in two starts and Boston is a perfect 2-0 in those games, so go figure.
Both teams are in the red to start this season for their backers with the Twins level at 7-7 (-1.50) and Red Sox sitting 7-6 (-1.55).
Tuesday night's game was canceled and will be made up at noon-thirty with Scott Baker going for Minnesota against Boston's Tim Wakefield. And the forecast suggests the makeup game might be the only one the two teams will get through today as rain chances increases as the day progresses in Beantown.
In the meantime on Hump Day this week, there are four daytime events to consider. Note that pitcher stats given are the team’s W-L record in his starts this season.
Marlins (-105) at Pirates (-115, 8½)
Apr. 22, 12:35 p.m.
Florida: RHP Ricky Nolasco (2-1, 6.60) is 0-1 with a 3.12 ERA in a start and a relief appearance against the Pirates in last three seasons, 0-1 in one start (4.50) at PNC Park.
Pittsburgh: LHP Paul Maholm (3-0, 0.87) is off to a strong start obviously with the Bucs 3-0 and him sporting an ERA below one in his first three starts. Last go against Fish was exactly a year ago at PNC Park on Apr 22, 2008, when he went six innings and allowed just one run with six strikeout in a 3-2 win.
Home Plate Ump: Jim Joyce should be calling the pitches withhome teams 2-1 in the early going in his games and totals at 1-2 O/U.
Weather: There’s a 60% chance of rain overnight and a 50% chance on Wednesday with a high of 45°F called for. Winds are WSW at 10-20 MPH (in from left field corner).
Athletics (+220) at Yankees (-260, 9)
Apr. 22, 1:05 p.m.
Oakland: LHP Brett Anderson (0-2, 4.85) was born in Midland where some of the toughest SOBs I have ever met were born. He vastly improved from his first start which was his MLB debut on April 10. This is his third MLB start and first on the road…at new Yankee Stadium.
New York: LHP C.C. Sabathia (1-2, 3.57) hasn’t pitched that poorly since his poor Yankees debut at Baltimore. He’s also running about 4/3 on ground ball outs to fly ball outs. A third 5-walk game at the New Stadium on Wednesday and the fans will give him the business real hard like.
Home Plate Ump: C.B. Buckner. Confrontational and often has a mobile strike zone during a game. All three games he has worked so far this season have gone Over.
Weather: Not looking good with the forecast calling for steady rain during the afternoon and highs in the mid-to-upper 50s. Winds are forecast at SSW at 10-15 MPH (out to left-center).
Rockies (+150) at Diamondbacks (-170, 9)
Apr. 22, 3:30 p.m.
Colorado: Jorge de la Rosa (0-2, 4.50) is not someone you really bet on. He’s coming off a 5.1 IP shutout job after a 4.2 IP, 5 ER performance in his first start as he looks to build some consistency and efficiency in the rotation for the Rox. If you bet Colorado in this game, you are betting on their bullpen and their offense.
Arizona: RHP Dan Haren (0-3, 1.89) hopes his offense shows up. Here’s a guy that has allwed 4 ER in his first three starts combined and lost all three games. He’s 3-1 in his last five starts against the Rockies and 11-6 with a 3.25 ERA at Chase Field in 19 starting assignments.
Home Plate Ump: Dale Scott is behind the plate for this one and has been more pitcher friendly than batter friendly.
Weather: It will be warming to the upper 90s during the day, so check for whether or not they will have the roof open. My guess is they will close it, so look for winds at 1 MPH out of the North, South, East and West.
Padres (-130) at Giants (+115, 8½)
Apr. 22, 3:45 p.m.
San Diego: RHP Chris Young (3-0, 4.86) got off to a great start with solid work in his first two outings before messing his britches in the last start though his SD teammates came back for the win. Edgar Renteria is 4-for-6 with a homer lifetime against Young.
San Francisco: LHP Barry Zito (0-2, 10.00) is off to yet another slow start for the Giants and continues to be the poster child along with Mike Hampton as far as free agent lefthanders go. Both starts this year have been on road where he’s generally been better than at AT&T where he is 7-16 the last three seasons in 31 starts with a 5.12 ERA.
Home Plate Ump: Mark Carlson will call the pitches in today's series finale.
Weather: Should be sunny skies, temps climbing into the mid-to-upper 70s and winds W at 6-12 MPH (out to center) for this one.
