Game Time: 09/07/2007 10:05 PM -
By: Al McMordie | bigal.com
Chad Billingsley is pitching like you'd expect a 1st-round draft choice to pitch. Lay the chalk on Billingsley and the Dodgers on the road in San Fran against the Giants.
Our Friday night MLB selection is on the Los Angeles Dodgers over the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park.
If the Dodgers don't make the postseason, it certainly cannot be blamed on young right-handed starter Chad Billingsley. The former first-round draft pick who turned 23 about a month ago has done everything right this season with 10 wins, a 3.30 ERA, only 106 hits in over 122 innings and 118 strikeouts. Billingsley has elevated himself to within a notch of the elite starters in the league with those numbers. Even more amazing are his numbers away from the normally pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium as he is 7-2 with a 2.71 ERA and only 51 hits in over 66 innings on the road this season.
Billingsley seems like a veteran starter compared with the Giants' left-hander Jonathan Sanchez. Although two years older than Billingsley, Sanchez has only started five games in his two years of major league service. But with San Francisco not going to the postseason and roster expansion here, they have obviously decided to see what they've got with Sanchez. And what it appears they have is a southpaw strikeout specialist who needs to gain better control of his pitches (so the Giants can't be faulted for letting him get some additional experience as a starter).
Nonetheless, Sanchez deserves to be a huge underdog here. There are few teams, if any, who have been so dominant in an opponent's ballpark as the Dodgers have been at AT&T Park where LA has won its last 11 games played there. Take the Dodgers.
Game Time: 09/07/2007 07:10 PM -
By: Ben Burns | sportspic.com
With tonight's starting pitchers both sporting bloated ERA marks in this situation, the Over is the only way you can play the Astros, Mets contest in the Big Apple at Shea.
Mike Pelfrey, tonight's right-handed starter for New York, is 0-4 with an awful 6.39 ERA and 1.744 WHIP in six home starts. Four of those six games finished above the number.
Astros lefty Wandy Rodriguez comes off a rare well-pitched game away from Houston. However, he's still got terrible road stats for the year. In 13 road starts, the Dominican southpaw has gone 2-9 -- The Astros are 3-10 -- with a brutal 7.11 ERA and 1.639 WHIP. Not surprisingly, the Over is a healthy 8-3-2 in those 13 starting assignments for Rodriguez. Consider a play on the Over.
Game Time: 09/07/2007 10:05 PM -
By: Marc Lawrence | playbook.com
The Dodgers are still hopeful of the playoffs while the Giants are setting October tee times already. Lay it on Los Angeles tonight with Chad Billingsley on the road in San Francisco.
The Dodgers send Chad Billingsley to the hill against the Giants in San Francisco this evening knowing he's in commanding strikeout-to-walk form with four walks and 22 strikeouts -n his last three starts.
Billingsley is also 6-2 in his road starts this season. Los Angeles is 2-1 in his most recent three starts away from home, the only loss a 1-0 decision to the Reds a little less than a month ago. Billingsley has a 0.94 ERA in his last 19 innings on the road without allowing a home run in any of those three starts.
With L.A. having scored four or more runs in nine of their last 11 games, Look for the Dodgers to deliver tonight.
Game Time: 09/07/2007 07:10 PM -
By: Jimmy the Moose | sportspic.com
The Astros are 26-45 on the road and the Mets are 35-30 at home. Houston is playing out the string and New York is playoff bound. Make your play on the Mets.
Two pitchers that have produced below expectations meet up in New York tonight.
The Astros are 16-36 in their last 52 road games. In their last 37 road games vs. a right-handed starter they are 10-27. Wandy Rodriguez is on the mound and in his last 26 road starts the Astros are 9-17. In his last 8 road starts vs. a team with a winning record the Astros are 1-7.
The Mets are 6-1 in their last seven games opening up a series. New York has won five of their last six games overall. New York is 10-4 in their last 14 home games vs. the Astros. Play on the Mets.
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