Not much better than a full slate of day games on Sunday. It’s kinda like the fall, just with much better grilling weather. Hopefully you’re not in the part of the country getting hammered with thunderstorms on this Sunday. There were some great games on Saturday, and overall, it was a really great day for winning some money. I dont know if you caught some of the threads out there last night, but it was apparently good for many.
130pm PHI (J Happ) -130 v COL (Francis) +110. Not to jinx anything, but this is the start that many in Philly have been looking forward to for quite some time. J. A. Happ makes his first start coming off of the DL in what seems like ages and Phils’ fans hope for some of the brilliance that he showed in his rookie campaign. He got off to a rough start in 2010, but it may have just been that the kid wasn’t healthy and wasn’t ready to go. He was available to come off of the DL a couple of weeks back, but was sent to the minors to regain his arm strength. Word is that he has been hitting 94 on the gun and seems ready. Hopefully he will benefit from better defense behind him than he had in his small handful of appearances in AAA. There has been a lot of trade talk circulating involving the Phils and there obvious need for another starter. The loss of Jamie Moyer for a questionable amount of time certainly doesn’t help that cause, but it sure would be lovely if Happ could come in and get the job done, take the pressure off of Amaro and allow him to keep Werth in right and make another run at this League title.
It is pretty clear that JRoll is back, as I mentioned in yesterday’s blog he felt he was really close, then hit two really hard line drives vs Cook in game one and then went 3-5 in Saturday’s contest against the Rocks and Jimenez, having a triple and a single in their 7 run, 3rd inning explosion. I am certain that was the bust out that all of us Phillies fans have been waiting for. Now it’s time to string together multiple performances like yesterday.
Standing in their way is Jeff Francis, who is looking to shut down that offense and avoid a devastating sweep for a team who is also trying to get things going to make another second half run at the playoffs. That seems to not only be the Phils’ m.o., but the Rockies’ as well. Jeff Francis used to be the ace of this Rockies staff, but those times are long gone now. After suffering some injury problems, Francis just hasn’t gotten back to his 2007 form. And I suppose it would be unfair to expect him to after missing all of 2009 and really struggling in 24 starts in 2008. This season has been no different really, with one exception: his last start. Francis went into Florida on July 20 and shut out the Fish, went 7 strong innings, allowed 3 hits and no earned, striking out seven. It’s just the 9+ previous outings that really stick out. It’s too bad he didn’t get the Phils of last week and now has to go into a hornet’s nest. Expect more of the same from the Phils’ offense today. They ought to boost that 4.63 era a little higher. This is the healthiest the Phils have been all season, and it shows. Finally.
Sunday Parlay Pieces:
Lincecum -155 @ Enright in AZ. Timmy got lit up a little bit in his last outing at Dodger Stadium but the Giants still got the W. They seem almost unbeatable and a division game vs the lowly DBacks sure helps me jump on their side.
Jurrjens -150 @ Volstad in Florida. I hate to say it, but the Braves should win again.
Kershaw -175 v Dickey and the Mets. The Mets are a decent team. Just not on the road. They are almost a completely different squad when carrying a suitcase. Kershaw and the Dodgers will not help them get on the right track. Not today.
And the pitching matchup of the day takes place at Wrigley where Carpenter and Cards look to get one back after going down 6-5 on Saturday. (I had u12 and STL-1.5, btw.) Dempster takes the ball for the Cubs and has been less than stellar of late. The Cubs will need their ace today. I predict he shows up. They seem to like the challenge of beating someone better.
Have a great day and Go Phils.
130pm PHI (J Happ) -130 v COL (Francis) +110. Not to jinx anything, but this is the start that many in Philly have been looking forward to for quite some time. J. A. Happ makes his first start coming off of the DL in what seems like ages and Phils’ fans hope for some of the brilliance that he showed in his rookie campaign. He got off to a rough start in 2010, but it may have just been that the kid wasn’t healthy and wasn’t ready to go. He was available to come off of the DL a couple of weeks back, but was sent to the minors to regain his arm strength. Word is that he has been hitting 94 on the gun and seems ready. Hopefully he will benefit from better defense behind him than he had in his small handful of appearances in AAA. There has been a lot of trade talk circulating involving the Phils and there obvious need for another starter. The loss of Jamie Moyer for a questionable amount of time certainly doesn’t help that cause, but it sure would be lovely if Happ could come in and get the job done, take the pressure off of Amaro and allow him to keep Werth in right and make another run at this League title.
It is pretty clear that JRoll is back, as I mentioned in yesterday’s blog he felt he was really close, then hit two really hard line drives vs Cook in game one and then went 3-5 in Saturday’s contest against the Rocks and Jimenez, having a triple and a single in their 7 run, 3rd inning explosion. I am certain that was the bust out that all of us Phillies fans have been waiting for. Now it’s time to string together multiple performances like yesterday.
Standing in their way is Jeff Francis, who is looking to shut down that offense and avoid a devastating sweep for a team who is also trying to get things going to make another second half run at the playoffs. That seems to not only be the Phils’ m.o., but the Rockies’ as well. Jeff Francis used to be the ace of this Rockies staff, but those times are long gone now. After suffering some injury problems, Francis just hasn’t gotten back to his 2007 form. And I suppose it would be unfair to expect him to after missing all of 2009 and really struggling in 24 starts in 2008. This season has been no different really, with one exception: his last start. Francis went into Florida on July 20 and shut out the Fish, went 7 strong innings, allowed 3 hits and no earned, striking out seven. It’s just the 9+ previous outings that really stick out. It’s too bad he didn’t get the Phils of last week and now has to go into a hornet’s nest. Expect more of the same from the Phils’ offense today. They ought to boost that 4.63 era a little higher. This is the healthiest the Phils have been all season, and it shows. Finally.
Sunday Parlay Pieces:
Lincecum -155 @ Enright in AZ. Timmy got lit up a little bit in his last outing at Dodger Stadium but the Giants still got the W. They seem almost unbeatable and a division game vs the lowly DBacks sure helps me jump on their side.
Jurrjens -150 @ Volstad in Florida. I hate to say it, but the Braves should win again.
Kershaw -175 v Dickey and the Mets. The Mets are a decent team. Just not on the road. They are almost a completely different squad when carrying a suitcase. Kershaw and the Dodgers will not help them get on the right track. Not today.
And the pitching matchup of the day takes place at Wrigley where Carpenter and Cards look to get one back after going down 6-5 on Saturday. (I had u12 and STL-1.5, btw.) Dempster takes the ball for the Cubs and has been less than stellar of late. The Cubs will need their ace today. I predict he shows up. They seem to like the challenge of beating someone better.
Have a great day and Go Phils.
