Astros -118 wave Wandy at Padres
Astros -118 wave Wandy at Padres
If San Diego is going to earn a split in this four-game series with the Astros, they will have to beat Houston lefty Wandy Rodriguez in the getaway game Thursday afternoon. Kevin Correia will counter on the mound for the Padres.
After a nice 16-11 run by Houston during the month of June, fading the Astros this season has become a losing exercise. The ‘Stros managed to cost those playing against them about seven units of profit for the month and now have a good shot to get off to a 2-0 start for July this afternoon in San Diego when they close out their series with the Padres.
Houston has managed to take two of the first three games of the series, and sit one Jose Valverde pitch away from playing for a four-game sweep today. Roy Oswalt pitched the Astros to a 3-1 win on Monday and a 6-run outburst, keyed by a Chase Headley error, in the fourth last night paced the club to a 7-1 triumph, those wins sandwiching Valverde’s blown save on Tuesday in Game 2.
The positive turn for Houston has come as a result of better all-around play, from more timely hitting and good defense to improved results from the rotation and the ‘pen. Thursday’s game pits Astros lefthander Wandy Rodriguez (10-6, 3.35), by default the team’s No. 2 man behind Roy O, against San Diego righthander Kevin Correia (8-7, 4.23).
For the season Rodriguez has done a pretty good job with 10 quality starts among his 16 assignments. But just two of those have come over his last seven turns in the rotation. He's a funky little lefty who I've never been able to figure out despite having seen him pitch with regularity over his now five year career.
He does have the good start against the Padres earlier this season when he held them scoreless over eight innings in Houston back on May 8, limiting San Diego swatters to five hits while whiffing seven. With a 4-4 road record, Rodriguez is 10th in the NL with 90 Ks in 96.2 IP. But his downfall of late has been the long ball. Of the 12 homers he has allowed this season, 11 have come in his last five starts after allowing just one in his first 11 starts in '09. He surrendered just 14 in 25 starts, 137.1 IP, during the 2008 season.
San Diego batters own a .325 career average vs. Wandy (.878 OPS), and the two that have given the Houston lefty the most trouble are David Eckstein (7-18, .389) and Scott Hairston (4-9, .444). Of Hairston's four hits against Rodriguez, two have sailed beyond the confines of the park and another is a two-bagger.
Correia took a no-decision in a 5-4 SD loss in Houston on May 9, working six quality innings while allowing just two runs on four hits. He and the Padres have won four of his last five starts, and his strikeout numbers are up in his last two assignments, 16 in 13,.2 IP vs. the Rangers and A's.
With Kaz Matsui 0-for-8 lifetime against Correia, including four strikeouts, look for Jeff Keppinger to get the start at second base for Houston in this one. That will add a little offense perhaps, but it also takes away a little defensively from the Astros' infield. Overall, these Houston hitters are batting just .240 against Correia, with nary a long ball.
It may not be a clear, sunny day in San Diego on Thursday, but it should still be nice enough for an afternoon ball game under partly cloudy skies. A little on the cool side -- especially for what an old Texan like me is used to this time of year -- with a first pitch temp about 70º-72º. Winds are forecast from the WNW around 8-12 MPH, in from LF across towards 1B. At least that is the way the wind would travel if not for the buildings out in left field. We could very well see balls hit towards left not affected at all and winds hit out towards center pushed off towards the gap.
The man behind the mask calling the balls and strikes should be Laz Diaz. Judging by his 5-10 record for the home team this year (-8.25 units), he has surely heard some boos this year. The totals have gone 8-6-1 in favor of the Over in games Diaz has worked this year (7-4-1 when mark is 8½-10), with an average of 10.3 runs per contest.
To be honest, I don’t have a strong lean one way or the other with the numbers on this game: Houston drawing -115 to -125 chalk and the total at 7½. If I had to play something on this game, I’d take my chances with a small play on the Under since I suspect a few regular position players could be getting a day off.
If San Diego is going to earn a split in this four-game series with the Astros, they will have to beat Houston lefty Wandy Rodriguez in the getaway game Thursday afternoon. Kevin Correia will counter on the mound for the Padres.
After a nice 16-11 run by Houston during the month of June, fading the Astros this season has become a losing exercise. The ‘Stros managed to cost those playing against them about seven units of profit for the month and now have a good shot to get off to a 2-0 start for July this afternoon in San Diego when they close out their series with the Padres.
Houston has managed to take two of the first three games of the series, and sit one Jose Valverde pitch away from playing for a four-game sweep today. Roy Oswalt pitched the Astros to a 3-1 win on Monday and a 6-run outburst, keyed by a Chase Headley error, in the fourth last night paced the club to a 7-1 triumph, those wins sandwiching Valverde’s blown save on Tuesday in Game 2.
The positive turn for Houston has come as a result of better all-around play, from more timely hitting and good defense to improved results from the rotation and the ‘pen. Thursday’s game pits Astros lefthander Wandy Rodriguez (10-6, 3.35), by default the team’s No. 2 man behind Roy O, against San Diego righthander Kevin Correia (8-7, 4.23).
For the season Rodriguez has done a pretty good job with 10 quality starts among his 16 assignments. But just two of those have come over his last seven turns in the rotation. He's a funky little lefty who I've never been able to figure out despite having seen him pitch with regularity over his now five year career.
He does have the good start against the Padres earlier this season when he held them scoreless over eight innings in Houston back on May 8, limiting San Diego swatters to five hits while whiffing seven. With a 4-4 road record, Rodriguez is 10th in the NL with 90 Ks in 96.2 IP. But his downfall of late has been the long ball. Of the 12 homers he has allowed this season, 11 have come in his last five starts after allowing just one in his first 11 starts in '09. He surrendered just 14 in 25 starts, 137.1 IP, during the 2008 season.
San Diego batters own a .325 career average vs. Wandy (.878 OPS), and the two that have given the Houston lefty the most trouble are David Eckstein (7-18, .389) and Scott Hairston (4-9, .444). Of Hairston's four hits against Rodriguez, two have sailed beyond the confines of the park and another is a two-bagger.
Correia took a no-decision in a 5-4 SD loss in Houston on May 9, working six quality innings while allowing just two runs on four hits. He and the Padres have won four of his last five starts, and his strikeout numbers are up in his last two assignments, 16 in 13,.2 IP vs. the Rangers and A's.
With Kaz Matsui 0-for-8 lifetime against Correia, including four strikeouts, look for Jeff Keppinger to get the start at second base for Houston in this one. That will add a little offense perhaps, but it also takes away a little defensively from the Astros' infield. Overall, these Houston hitters are batting just .240 against Correia, with nary a long ball.
It may not be a clear, sunny day in San Diego on Thursday, but it should still be nice enough for an afternoon ball game under partly cloudy skies. A little on the cool side -- especially for what an old Texan like me is used to this time of year -- with a first pitch temp about 70º-72º. Winds are forecast from the WNW around 8-12 MPH, in from LF across towards 1B. At least that is the way the wind would travel if not for the buildings out in left field. We could very well see balls hit towards left not affected at all and winds hit out towards center pushed off towards the gap.
The man behind the mask calling the balls and strikes should be Laz Diaz. Judging by his 5-10 record for the home team this year (-8.25 units), he has surely heard some boos this year. The totals have gone 8-6-1 in favor of the Over in games Diaz has worked this year (7-4-1 when mark is 8½-10), with an average of 10.3 runs per contest.
To be honest, I don’t have a strong lean one way or the other with the numbers on this game: Houston drawing -115 to -125 chalk and the total at 7½. If I had to play something on this game, I’d take my chances with a small play on the Under since I suspect a few regular position players could be getting a day off.
