I’ll be spending some time and money on a couple of AL last place teams on Saturday. One of these failing teams I will be playing and the other fading. Love them or hate them, I’ve always enjoyed hanging out with life’s less desirable types. And tomorrow, I will love the Indians and hate the Orioles. I hope they perform accordingly.
Detroit -126
Baltimore +116
I would take the Tigers with their rejuvenated ace on the mound going against a truly bad team at -126 odds any day of the week. I like this game and I like it a lot. I hope that the Tigers like me back. And not the same way that Tatiana the Tiger liked Carlos Sousa Jr. That wouldn’t be very nice at all.
The Tigers are 26-21 and leading the AL Central. Baltimore is 23-26, good for last place in the AL East. They are a hot team right now, having won five in a row, and seven of eight. That run includes in improbable win over the Blew Jays where they scored a gazillion runs in the 8th inning to tie it, and then somehow won after falling behind in extra innings. Improbable exciting finishes like that can carry a team for awhile, and the Orioles are riding that wave right now. But let’s be serious here for a moment. These are still the Orioles.
Justin Verlander (5-2, 3.55 ERA) had a bit of a rocky start to his season, but has been solid as of late. In his most recent six starts, he has given up only 4 ER’s in 42.1 IP. To say that he owns many of Baltimore’s key hitters would be like saying that Chris Brown had a disagreement with Rihanna. Nick Markakis (2-12), Aubrey Huff (0-10), Brian Roberts (0-9) and Melvin Mora (1-8) are batting a combined .158 against Verlander lifetime. That’s pretty dismal. I’m looking for this dominance to continue.
For the Orioles it will be Jeremy Guthrie (4-4, 4.90 ERA) getting the call. Guthrie has been consistently so-so, giving up 3, 4 or 5 runs in eight of ten starts this year. He is coming off a gem, giving up only one run in 7 IP to Toronto. But Baltimore’s impending implosion has to begin soon. I hope that Guthrie could be the catalyst to open the floodgates.
NY Yankees -162
Cleveland +152
The Yankees are 28-20 and sit atop the AL East by a half game. They are on a roll, winning 13 of their last 16. They’ll have CC Sabathia (4-3, 3.42 ERA) on tap. They’re playing the Central’s cellar dweller in the Indians (21-29). I don’t care. I’m playing the Indians as a live dog and drinking my Yankees HaterAde all day long.
The last time these teams met they split a four game series. Cleveland outscored New York 40-19 during that stretch. It sure would be nice to have one of those assaults on the pinstriped pitching staff again today.
Cleveland has also been playing well, winning seven of ten. It will be Fausto Carmona (2-4, 6.42 ERA) hoping to brighten up my Saturday. One of his two wins came vs. the Yankees back in mid-April. Sabathia had an impressive no decision around the same time against Cleveland (1 ER, 5.2 IP).
Weeks ago I wrote that Cleveland had nowhere to go but up. Well, they are still in last place. Here’s to hoping that this mini-run that they are on continues, and that they begin to move up in the rankings. Besides, is there any better American pastime than to win money while rooting against the Yankees? Not in my book. 
Detroit -126
Baltimore +116
I would take the Tigers with their rejuvenated ace on the mound going against a truly bad team at -126 odds any day of the week. I like this game and I like it a lot. I hope that the Tigers like me back. And not the same way that Tatiana the Tiger liked Carlos Sousa Jr. That wouldn’t be very nice at all.
The Tigers are 26-21 and leading the AL Central. Baltimore is 23-26, good for last place in the AL East. They are a hot team right now, having won five in a row, and seven of eight. That run includes in improbable win over the Blew Jays where they scored a gazillion runs in the 8th inning to tie it, and then somehow won after falling behind in extra innings. Improbable exciting finishes like that can carry a team for awhile, and the Orioles are riding that wave right now. But let’s be serious here for a moment. These are still the Orioles.
Justin Verlander (5-2, 3.55 ERA) had a bit of a rocky start to his season, but has been solid as of late. In his most recent six starts, he has given up only 4 ER’s in 42.1 IP. To say that he owns many of Baltimore’s key hitters would be like saying that Chris Brown had a disagreement with Rihanna. Nick Markakis (2-12), Aubrey Huff (0-10), Brian Roberts (0-9) and Melvin Mora (1-8) are batting a combined .158 against Verlander lifetime. That’s pretty dismal. I’m looking for this dominance to continue.
Justin Verlander
NY Yankees -162
Cleveland +152
The Yankees are 28-20 and sit atop the AL East by a half game. They are on a roll, winning 13 of their last 16. They’ll have CC Sabathia (4-3, 3.42 ERA) on tap. They’re playing the Central’s cellar dweller in the Indians (21-29). I don’t care. I’m playing the Indians as a live dog and drinking my Yankees HaterAde all day long.
The last time these teams met they split a four game series. Cleveland outscored New York 40-19 during that stretch. It sure would be nice to have one of those assaults on the pinstriped pitching staff again today.
Cleveland has also been playing well, winning seven of ten. It will be Fausto Carmona (2-4, 6.42 ERA) hoping to brighten up my Saturday. One of his two wins came vs. the Yankees back in mid-April. Sabathia had an impressive no decision around the same time against Cleveland (1 ER, 5.2 IP).
Fausto Carmona