MLB Betting: Astros Look For Split With D-Backs
With two swings of the bat on Wednesday, the Astros set themselves up to earn a series split with the Diamondbacks when the two teams finish a four-game set tonight.
It took a couple of firsts on Wednesday for the Houston Astros to avoid another first entering today's series finale against the Diamondbacks.
Tommy Manzella cracked the first home run of his career in the second inning, and Carlos Lee hit his first homer of the season in the bottom of the ninth to give the Astros a 4-2 win as slight 11- home favorites. Lee's walk-off helped Houston avoid a season-high nine-game losing skid.
Thursday sees the four-game series come to a close with the Diamondbacks favored by 130-140. The total opened at eight but quickly shifted down to 7 ½.
The series finale has promise of a good pitching matchup between Dan Haren (3-3, 4.50) for Arizona and Wandy Rodriguez (2-3, 3.64) for the 'Stros. But then, we're talking the Houston offense here. Just how much pitching do you need?
I could sit here and type a lot of info about the two pitchers. Like Haren is making his fourth road start of 2010 already and the Snakes have won his last three goes versus the Astros (all in Arizona). Or Rodriguez is making his third start in the Bayou City where he is 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 13 1/3 innings. Instead, let me tell you more than you want to know about the nonexistent offense in Houston.
I have seen this team play its entire history. Offense was always a second consideration, or even third behind defense, back in the old days. The Colt .45s finished last in the NL all three years the team was known by that name. In 1965, the first year they were called the Astros and moved indoors, they moved up to ninth in the 10-team Senior Circuit.
There were some very offensively-challenged teams along the way. Jiminy Cricket! The 1980 squad that got to within a game of the World Series was led in the power department by Terry Puhl's 13 home runs. Try getting to within a game of 20 games below .500 these days with a team that hits 75 homers.
But this is, bar none, the suckiest of offenses I have ever seen. And not only in Houston, but in the majors since 1962. This year's team is also proving that Minute Maid Park really isn't the hitter's paradise so many people think it is. Houston will be playing its 19th home game of the season on Thursday against nine on the road. They are averaging about half the runs scored (2.85) as the NL leaders (5.57).
By the way, that NL leader is the team Houston will be playing on Thursday, the Diamondbacks.
Mike Winters draws plate duty for this one as the umpire crew makes a full circuit in the series. Now in his 21st full season calling big league games, Winters is 3-2 in favor of the home team so far in 2010. He's also 3-2 to the 'under,' though this is the first game with a total of eight or less set in one of his assignments.
Winters called two games at Minute Maid Park in 2009. Both of the contests were 5-4 Astros victories.
Daytime highs will reach the upper-80s, but should be in the low-80s, maybe upper-70s for game time making me think the roof will be open. A few clouds will begin to drift in starting in the late afternoon, but there's little or no chance of rain. Winds are presently forecast from the SSE at 12-18 mph in the evening (out to the left field side of Tal's Hill in center).
NOTE: The W-L records shown for starting pitchers are their team's W-L mark when they started games in the 2010 season. Statistical sources for this article were Retrosheet.org, Baseball-Reference.com, ESPN.com and, of course, S-BEE-R-dot-com!
With two swings of the bat on Wednesday, the Astros set themselves up to earn a series split with the Diamondbacks when the two teams finish a four-game set tonight.
It took a couple of firsts on Wednesday for the Houston Astros to avoid another first entering today's series finale against the Diamondbacks.
Tommy Manzella cracked the first home run of his career in the second inning, and Carlos Lee hit his first homer of the season in the bottom of the ninth to give the Astros a 4-2 win as slight 11- home favorites. Lee's walk-off helped Houston avoid a season-high nine-game losing skid.
Thursday sees the four-game series come to a close with the Diamondbacks favored by 130-140. The total opened at eight but quickly shifted down to 7 ½.
The series finale has promise of a good pitching matchup between Dan Haren (3-3, 4.50) for Arizona and Wandy Rodriguez (2-3, 3.64) for the 'Stros. But then, we're talking the Houston offense here. Just how much pitching do you need?
I could sit here and type a lot of info about the two pitchers. Like Haren is making his fourth road start of 2010 already and the Snakes have won his last three goes versus the Astros (all in Arizona). Or Rodriguez is making his third start in the Bayou City where he is 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 13 1/3 innings. Instead, let me tell you more than you want to know about the nonexistent offense in Houston.
I have seen this team play its entire history. Offense was always a second consideration, or even third behind defense, back in the old days. The Colt .45s finished last in the NL all three years the team was known by that name. In 1965, the first year they were called the Astros and moved indoors, they moved up to ninth in the 10-team Senior Circuit.
There were some very offensively-challenged teams along the way. Jiminy Cricket! The 1980 squad that got to within a game of the World Series was led in the power department by Terry Puhl's 13 home runs. Try getting to within a game of 20 games below .500 these days with a team that hits 75 homers.
But this is, bar none, the suckiest of offenses I have ever seen. And not only in Houston, but in the majors since 1962. This year's team is also proving that Minute Maid Park really isn't the hitter's paradise so many people think it is. Houston will be playing its 19th home game of the season on Thursday against nine on the road. They are averaging about half the runs scored (2.85) as the NL leaders (5.57).
By the way, that NL leader is the team Houston will be playing on Thursday, the Diamondbacks.
Mike Winters draws plate duty for this one as the umpire crew makes a full circuit in the series. Now in his 21st full season calling big league games, Winters is 3-2 in favor of the home team so far in 2010. He's also 3-2 to the 'under,' though this is the first game with a total of eight or less set in one of his assignments.
Winters called two games at Minute Maid Park in 2009. Both of the contests were 5-4 Astros victories.
Daytime highs will reach the upper-80s, but should be in the low-80s, maybe upper-70s for game time making me think the roof will be open. A few clouds will begin to drift in starting in the late afternoon, but there's little or no chance of rain. Winds are presently forecast from the SSE at 12-18 mph in the evening (out to the left field side of Tal's Hill in center).
NOTE: The W-L records shown for starting pitchers are their team's W-L mark when they started games in the 2010 season. Statistical sources for this article were Retrosheet.org, Baseball-Reference.com, ESPN.com and, of course, S-BEE-R-dot-com!