Pitchers, weather & umpires: Wed., May 14

Willie Bee · 05-14-08, 07:16 AM

Red Sox at Orioles 3:05 PM
Starting Pitchers: Jon Lester (2-2, 4.06) vs Daniel Cabrera (3-1, 3.54)
This will be Lester’s 10th start of the year, the first one coming in late March when Boston opened up the MLB season in Japan against the A’s. The Red Sox are 5-4 in his previous nine outings. Lester’s biggest bugaboo this year has been the walks, with the southpaw having issued 27 free passes in his 51 innings. He’s given up just one home run and been charged with four earned runs in his last three starts covering 19.1 innings. He made two starts against the O’s in 2007, one of them in Baltimore and both of them wins as Lester worked 13 innings and surrendered just two runs.

If you feel the ground shaking on Wednesday, it might be from Cabrera trembling at the prospect of facing the Red Sox. He’s pitched pretty darn well this year, with the Orioles 6-1 with a suspended game to complete in his seven starts to date. He’s coming off a complete game, 3-hitter in a 4-1 Baltimore win at Kansas City last Thursday. But he has struggled over his career when matched against the Boston hitters, with control a huge issue in the games he’s pitched against them. Mike Lowell eats him up with a 1.471 OPS in 13 plate appearances, and even though David Ortiz has batted only .235 (4-for-17) against Cabrera, Big Papi has managed to draw eight walks along the way for a .480 on-base mark. The O’s are 0-6 in Cabrera’s last half-dozen starts against the Sox with Cabrera allowing 26 runs in 27.1 IP and issuing 26 walks in those games. In his four most recent starts against Boston at Camden Yards, Cabrera is 0-4 with an 8.30 ERA.

Plate Ump: Making his 10th appearance calling balls and strikes this season, Wally Bell is 1-6-2 O/U. This game is currently set at 9 for the total, and in games where the line is set 9-9½, Bell is 1-5 O/U. This is his first game in Baltimore and with an Orioles pitcher on the mound. His only plate action with Boston on the field came on Apr 1 and stayed under.

Weather: Should be a nice day in Baltimore with sunny skies and temps in the mid-70s at game time, S winds 10-15 (out to center).

Willie Bee · 05-14-08, 09:54 AM

Athletics at Indians 7:05 PM
Starting Pitchers: Joe Blanton (2-5, 3.82) vs C.C. Sabathia (2-5, 6.55)
Blanton is making his third start of the season already against the Indians, with this a pitching rematch of a slugfest that took lace at The Jake a month ago on Apr 11. In his two starts vs. the Tribe, Oakland is 1-1 with Blanton working 14.1 innings and giving up seven earnies. Jhonny Peralta is 4-for-7 in those two games with a homer, with Ryan Garko having also hit Blanton well over their careers. The A’s are just 1-6 at home behind Blanton this year, but have won both of his road starts.

Crooked Cap got off to a rough start in ’08, including being whipped twice by Oakland, but has since settled down in his last four starts with the Tribe 2-2 in those games and Sabathia having worked 27.1 innings while giving up just six runs and a single homer. Emil Brown, who is having a fine year for Oakland, and Jack Cust might be the two toughest outs for C.C. in this game. Cleveland is 0-8 in Sabathia’s most recent starting assignments against Oakland dating back through the 2004 season. The last time the Indians beat the A’s with the left-hander on the hill was in Oakland on July 30, 2003.

Plate Ump: Jerry Meals is behind the plate with a 5-3 O/U record so far, though only one of his games has seen a total below 8½ this year (this one current sitting at 8). Meals sports a rather funny stat in that his three games with totals 8½ or less have all stayed under and his five games set at 9+ have all gone over.

Weather: Looks like a wet one during the day with rain chances only dropping to 50% tonight. Temps in the upper-50s at game time, winds N 10-20 (in from left-center)

Willie Bee · 05-14-08, 12:35 PM

Braves at Phillies 7:05 PM
Starting Pitchers: Tom Glavine (0-1, 4.03) vs Brett Myers (2-3, 5.33)
Glavine has to be scratching his head and wondering about the season’s he’s having so far. Not counting his start on Apr 13 when he left in the first inning with a strained hamstring, the Braves lefty has pitched well in four of his five other starts only to see Atlanta lose all four of those outings. The one game he really stunk it up (4.2 IP, 6 ER on May 4), the Braves won. This will be his first crack at the Phillies since last season when Glavine was with the Mets. He started five games against them in 2007, with New York 2-3 in those games and Glavine sporting a 2.67 ERA over 33.2 IP. Jimmy Rollins has raked big time against Tommy G, checking into this one with a lifetime .373 average and six homers in 75 at bats.

Myers has been very shaky this season, and he’s already given up 12 homers in his eight starts, putting him on pace to see nearly 50 balls leave the yard this season. Philadelphia is 3-5 in his eight assignments. He’s done well against most of these Braves hitters, especially Jeff Francoeur and Kelly Johnson who are a combined 6-for-39 (.153), with all six of the hits off Francoeur’s bats. This will be his first start against the Braves since Opening Day 2007 when he worked into the eighth of what eventually was a 5-3 Atlanta win in extras. The Phils are 2-4 overall in his last six starts against the Braves.

Plate Ump: Alfonso Marquez brings his split 4-4 O/U record into this one. One interesting note about him might come into play for 5-inning lines as nearly 56% of the runs that score in his plate appearances occur in the first three innings. This game total is breaking at 10 right now, and both games he’s called with totals that high or higher have gone under.

Weather: Rain chances increase as we head towards the midnight hour. Winds out of the SSE at 5-10 (out to right-center) with a first pitch temp in the upper-60s.

mofome · 05-14-08, 12:36 PM

Willie Bee · 05-14-08, 12:44 PM

Marlins at Reds 7:10 PM
Starting Pitchers: Ricky Nolasco (2-3, 5.35) vs Bronson Arroyo (2-4, 7.14)
Since moving into the rotation on Apr 11 after two relief appearances, the Marlins are 3-3 in Nolasco’s six starts. He allowed six long balls in his first two starts, four to Atlanta on Apr 17, but has not given up a homer in four starts since. This will be just his second career start versus Cincinnati, the other coming in late Sep 2006 when he took the loss in a 5-1 Reds victory in Florida.

Arroyo is coming off his one and only good start to date this season when he worked eight, 4-hit, 1-run innings with a season high nine strikeouts at Shea last Saturday in a 7-1 win over the Mets. Cincinnati is 3-5 in his eight outings and this will be just his second start against the Fish since joining the Reds at the beginning of the ’06 season. The other came last July when he took the loss, working six full innings and giving up four runs, all earned, the last two scoring on a Dan Uggla two-run bomb.

Plate Ump: Tonight’s man behind the mask, Larry Vanover, has been a slight lean to the Under with a 3-4-1 O/U mark so far in ’08. But he’s been a heavy lean to the Over the past two years with a 43-28-1 record in 72 contests.

Weather: This one could be facing a delay before getting underway, but the rain chances do diminish as darkness sets in. Looking at a first pitch temp in the upper-50s with NW winds 5-10 (out to center).

Willie Bee · 05-14-08, 01:07 PM

Nationals at Mets 7:10 PM
Starting Pitchers: Tim Redding (4-3, 3.83) vs. Claudio Vargas (0-0, 0.00)
The Nats are 5-3 in Redding’s eight starts this season, including a 7-2 loss at home to the Mets on Apr 23 when the right-hander allowed three runs, all earned, in five innings. This will be just his third start on the road, with Washington 2-0 in the previous two games at Florida and Philadelphia. Redding has done pretty well against most of the hitters in New York’s lineup, with Carlos Beltran (4-for-6, HR) and Jose Reyes (4-11) having the best numbers. He made two starts against the Mets last year, pitching well enough to win in New York only to see the Nats lose with no offense to speak of and throwing BP in a game at Washington that the Nationals ended up winning despite Redding’s poor start.

Recalled from Triple-A New Orleans on Tuesday when New York designated Nelson Figueroa and Jorge Sosa for assignment, Vargas will make his first MLB appearance this season in this contest. He was 1-1 in two starts for the Zephyrs, posting a 4.91 ERA. While with the Brewers a year ago, Vargas started one game against the Nats, throwing six innings and allowing just a single run in a 3-1 Milwaukee win.

Plate Ump: Dana Demuth is 3-4-1 O/U up to now, and 1-2 O/U when the total has been set at 9, as tonight’s tally sits presently.

Weather: Clouds will start rolling into Flushing as the sun begins to set, with late showers in the forecast. Look for a game time temp in the low-to-mid 60s with SSE winds at 10-15 (out to the visitor’s bullpen behind LF wall).

Willie Bee · 05-14-08, 01:26 PM

Yankees at Rays 7:10 PM
Starting Pitchers: Mike Mussina (5-3, 4.36) vs James Shields (4-2, 3.14)
The Yanks and Moose are 5-3 in his eight starts to date, though he’s yet to really find much consistency save a three start span (Apr 23 – May 3) and has only worked beyond the sixth in one of the outings. This will be his second start against the Rays this season, the other coming at The Stadium on Apr 7 when Mussina tossed six innings allowing just two hits and one run, a solo knock by Jonny Gomes. B.J. Upton (5-for-13, HR) and Dioner Navarro (5-10) have had the best results facing Mussina. New York is 6-2 in his last eight starts against the Rays, and 2-1 in his last three starts in Tampa with Mussina giving up seven earned in 17.2 innings of work those three assignments.

One of Shields’ two losses on the year came in New York on Apr 6 when he pitched five innings and allowed two runs, both coming on a Hideki Matsui homer and accounting for the only two runs of the game. The Rays are 5-3 in his eight starts to date in ’08. Derek Jeter (7-for-18, HR), Robinson Cano (6-15, HR), Johnny Damon (5-10, 2 HR) and Matsui (6-10, 3 HR) have done very well against Shields in previous meetings. Tampa is now 0-6 in games Shields has started against the Yankees with the right-hander carrying a 7.83 ERA in 33.1 innings versus New York, the bulk of that ERA coming in one horrific start last year when he was charged with 10 runs in 3.1 innings.

Plate Ump: Calling the pitches will be Rob Drake who is 6-3 in favor of the home team and 3-6 O/U this season. Drake has a fairly decent strike zone for pitchers (64.5% strike calls) and his nine games south of the plate have averaged just over eight runs per contest.

Weather: Indoors

Willie Bee · 05-14-08, 01:27 PM

Dodgers at Brewers 8:05 PM
Starting Pitchers: Derek Lowe (2-3, 4.43) vs Manny Parra (1-2, 5.79)
After a pretty good start that saw Los Angeles win five of Lowe’s first six starts while he rang up a 2.88 ERA in those outings, the Dodgers have dropped his last two assignments with the right-hander giving up 11 runs in 10.1 innings at Colorado and home against the Astros last Friday (May 9). Since joining LA before the ’05 season, Lowe has made three starts versus the Brewers, two of them in Milwaukee, and the Dodgers are 2-1 in those games with Lowe posting a 3.72 ERA.

Parra has struggled with walks and working deep into counts in his seven starts this year, never working more than 5.1 frames in any of the assignments and three times working less than five innings. Milwaukee is 4-3 in his outings despite his bloated 1.87 WHIP (20 walks, 41 hits, 32.2 IP). This will be the first time Parra has faced the Dodgers in his short career, with none of their hitters having any regular season history against the lefty from California.

Plate Ump: I don’t recall having ever seen James Hoye call a game in person or on TV, but he sure has been busy this season with this his 11th time to don the mask in 2008. He has started 2008 with a 3-7 O/U record.

Weather: Going to be chilly tonight in Beer City, so I’m guessing the roof will be closed. If not, clear skies for the most part, game time temp in the low-50s and dropping and winds 5-10 out of the ENE (from LF corner to RF corner).

Willie Bee · 05-14-08, 01:38 PM

Padres at Cubs 8:05 PM
Starting Pitchers: Jake Peavy (4-2, 2.47) vs Ted Lilly (3-4, 5.24)
Peavy has had just one bad start this year, and that wasn’t too bad as he gave up four in six innings at Houston on Apr 22. San Diego is 4-4 in his eight starts, having dropped four of his last five assignments. This will be his sixth career go at the Cubs with the Pads 4-1 in the previous Peavy starts against Chicago. He’s pitched three of those games at Wrigley with San Diego 2-1 in the games and Peavy posting a 2.50 ERA in 18 innings on the Windy City’s north side.

Chicago was 1-3 in Lilly’s first four starts as he struggled big time, but the Cubs are 3-1 in his last four starts with the left-hander posting a 2.42 ERA against the likes of the Mets, Nats, Cards and D-Backs. He’s made just three career starts against the Padres, only one as a National League hurler, and his teams are a perfect 3-0 in those games with Lilly owning a miniscule 0.77 ERA in 23.1 innings. All three of the games were in San Diego, and on was as a Yankee in 2002 when he tossed a complete game shutout to beat Peavy and the Padres.

Plate Ump: I have a bad attitude about any of the Wendelstedt’s, and that includes Hunter though I think he’s a better ump behind the plate than he is in the field where I just think he falls asleep sometimes. Wendelstedt has been a pitcher’s friend so far with a 2-6-1 O/U line and seeing just 7.78 runs scored on average when he’s calling pitches.

Weather: The flock congregating at the Church of Wrigley tonight should have a pleasant evening weather wise, though a bit cool as the evening progresses. Mostly clear skies, game time temps in the mid-to-upper 50s and winds ENE at 5-10 (in from right-center).

Willie Bee · 05-14-08, 01:51 PM

Tigers at Royals 8:10 PM
Starting Pitchers: Justin Verlander (1-6, 6.43) vs Luke Hochevar (2-2, 4.94)
Instead of anchoring the preseason ballyhooed Tigers staff, Verlander has instead dragged the team down and been a big reason for Detroit’s horrible start to ’08. He’s had just one quality start in eight, and that shows with Motown’s 1-7 mark when J.V. takes the hill this year. This will be his second start against the Royals, the other resulting in a no-decision for Verlander on Opening Day in Detroit when KC posted a 5-4 extra-inning victory. Verlander worked six and allowed four in that one, ranking as one of his better outings of the season. In 2007, the Tigers were 4-1 in his starts against the Royals, 1-1 in KC where he allowed just two earned runs in his 13 innings of work. John Buck and Billy Butler will be key hitters for him in this one.

Meanwhile, KC is 2-2 in Hochevar’s four starts, making his 2008 debut on Apr 20. This will be his first career start against Detroit, though he did work 3+ innings of relief against them last season, a game in which Verlander picked up the win for the Tigers. Hochevar allowed two runs in that outing (one earned) and served up a tater to Marcus Thames in the contest.

Plate Ump: Now in his 33rd year calling games in the majors, Ed Montague is 4-4 O/U this season and this will be his first game to work the plate for either the Tigers or Royals in 2008.

Weather: Clouds move in as the day progresses, but the forecast says the rain will hold off until after midnight. Temps in the low-60s and NE winds 5-10 (in from center).

Willie Bee · 05-14-08, 01:57 PM

Blue Jays at Twins 8:10 PM
Starting Pitchers: Roy Halladay (3-5, 3.29) vs Boof Bonser (2-4, 5.09)
Like several arms on the Jays’ staff, Doc has been a victim of run support with his 3-5 record matching Toronto’s in his eight assignments thus far. He’s coming off his shortest outing of the season, getting in just six full innings before the Indians got to him in the seventh for an eventual 6-1 win last Friday in Cleveland. He hasn’t started a losing game for the Blue Jays against Minnesota since July 2002, and Halladay got a no-decision in that one. In his most recent four starts vs. the Twins, Toronto has won all four with Halladay working 30.2 innings and giving up nine earned (2.64). Two of those were at the Triple H Dome where he has a 4.50 ERA over 14 innings. Though Delmon Young only has eight career at bats against Halladay, he’s done very well with four hits, three of those two-baggers.

Bonser got tattooed by Boston in his last start when he was charged with six runs in four innings (96 pitches). But the Twins rescued him from the loss in last Friday’s game when they thrilled the home crowd in Minnesota with a last at bat triumph over the Red Sox. Overall this season, the Twinkies are 4-4 with the Boofster on the hill. He’s made two starts against Toronto, one each the past two seasons, and the Twins dropped both contests with Bonser allowing eight earned in 11.2 IP.

Plate Ump: Brian Runge carries an even 4-4 O/U recrd into this one, with the present total (7½) the lowest total for any of his games to date. His games have averaged 9.38 runs and 2.4 homers, and this is the first time he’s worked a Blue Jays or Royals contest.

Weather: Indoors

Willie Bee · 05-14-08, 02:12 PM

Pirates at Cardinals 8:15 PM
Starting Pitchers: Paul Maholm (2-3, 4.79) vs Todd Wellemeyer (3-1, 3.56)
Bucs lefty Maholm has been either very good or very bad to date, with Pittsburgh 4-3 in his seven starting assignments. He’s coming off a 107-pitch no-decision last Thursday, a game the Pirates won at home against San Fran, 5-4. In four career starts against the Cardinals, all in Pittsburgh, Maholm has a very nice 2.28 ERA but the Pirates have managed to win just one time. Albert Pujols and Jason LaRue are a combined 6-for-17 versus the southpaw with a homer each.

Wellemeyer has transitioned pretty well from relieving to starting this year, averaging six innings per outing. He was the victim of some shoddy St. Louis defense in his last start, a 4-3 loss in Milwaukee with the big right-hander allowing two unearned runs in six frames. He faced the Pirates in Pittsburgh on Apr 23, leaving with the game tied 4-4 after the sixth before the Bucs scored late for the 7-4 win. He started one game last year against the Pirates, tossing six, 1-hit innings in a Cardinals win. The rest of his career action against Pittsburgh came out of the pen, with Jason Bay the only batter in this current Pirates lineup who has taking him deep, doing so in the Apr 23 start.

Plate Ump: Eric Cooper has been unkind to home favorites this season with home chalk just 1-3 in his seven games. He is 2-5 O/U, with each of his last five games going under. Tonight’s total is presently 8½.

Weather: Good chance this one doesn’t get finished, if it even gets started. Forecast calls for good chance of rain during the day and an even better chance tonight. If it does get called, they could make this up tomorrow after Thursday’s regularly scheduled series finale that is slated for a 1:00 p.m. (ET) first pitch. The Pirates only have to travel to Chicago after this while the Cards remain in St. Louis.

Willie Bee · 05-14-08, 02:14 PM

Rockies at Diamondbacks 9:40 PM
Starting Pitchers: Jorge De La Rosa (1-1, 10.29) vs Micah Owings (4-1, 4.33)
After being bombed by the Dodgers in his first start for the Rocks on May 3 after his trade from Kansas City, de la Rosa came back pretty well in his last start with 5.2 innings of a 9-3 win at home over St. Louis. The southpaw gave up two runs and struck out five in that game. He’s made just one career start against the D-Backs, that coming in Arizona in Sep 2004 when de la Rosa was with the Brewers. He only gave up one earned in six innings, but also saw four unearned runs cross the plate (all in the first inning of that start).

After Arizona garnered dubyas in Owings’ first four starts this year, they have since dropped his last three though he pitched well enough to beat the Phils at home last Wednesday when he worked seven and allowed three. His first start of the year was an 8-1 win over the Rockies in Colorado, Owings’ best effort to date with 6.2 innings, two hits and one run allowed plus nine Ks. That’s the only time he’s faced Colorado in his career with the lone run he allowed a homer by Todd Helton.

Plate Ump: Adrian Johnson had a 4-game under streak snapped his last time out, and is 3-6 O/U overall this year. This will be his first look at both the Rockies and D-Backs.

Weather: Very nice evening in the desert tonight with temps in the low-80s around first pitch and dropping through the 70s as the game progresses. Winds should be SSE at 5-10 (slightly out to left-center)

rake922 · 05-14-08, 02:21 PM

Which AL game is surely going over?

Willie Bee · 05-14-08, 02:29 PM

Good question, rake. This goes against the stats probably, but I think the 7½ in the Toronto-Minnesota game might be low.

Willie Bee · 05-14-08, 02:30 PM

White Sox at Angels 10:05 PM
Starting Pitchers: Jose Contreras (3-3, 3.63) vs John Lackey (0-0, 0.00)
Contreras has been in a good start, bad start routine, and if that holds true in this one then both he and the Pale Hose are due for a loss. Chicago is 4-3 in his seven mound assignments and 4-3 in his last seven regular season starts against the Angels with the big Cuban owning a 2.57 ERA in those games. The Pale Hose are 2-2 in his last four starts in Anaheim despite a very strong 1.84 ERA. He was also 1-1 in two starts during the 2005 ALCS against the Halos, including a complete game triumph in Game 5 that was played in Anaheim. Garret Anderson kills him, going 10-for-20 lifetime against Contreras.

After starting the year on the DL with a triceps injury, Lackey is finally set to make his 2008 debut for the Angels. He took the loss in game 3 of that ’05 ALCS versus the White Sox, tossing five and allowing the same. His only appearance in 2007 against Chicago was a loss in Anaheim on May 5 with Lackey going eight and giving up four runs, all earned. He’s done pretty well against the current ChiSox crew, and has really worked Nick Swisher over well, holding Swish to a .118 average (4-for-34) with 14 strikeouts.

Plate Ump: I swear, it seems like each time I get around to doing one of these daily reports, one of the Welke boys is working a plate somewhere. Tonight it’s Tim calling the pitches as that crew closes out a two-series stay in La-La Land having worked the Astros-Dodgers games last weekend. Welke is 4-4 O/U on the year and on a three-game Under run presently.

Weather: Beautiful weather at the Big A, slight SE wind blowing out to left and a first pitch temp around 75°.

Willie Bee · 05-14-08, 02:31 PM

Astros at Giants 10:15 PM
Starting Pitchers: Brian Moehler (1-0, 4.26) vs Patrick Misch (0-0, 5.63)
Moehler started the year in Houston’s pen, but was pressed into the rotation with the injury to Wandy Rodriguez and responded well in his only start so far this season. The veteran right-hander worked five scoreless innings last Friday in Los Angeles, striking out five and picking up his first win since late last June when he vultured a victory on his ledger in relief against the Rockies. He faced the Giants once last year, also in relief, and got peppered for four hits and three runs mopping up an Astros loss in San Francisco. Omar Vizquel and Randy Winn have enjoyed facing Moehler over the years, batting .440 and .571 respectively in 20+ at bats.

Misch is making his first career start against the Astros, and has only faced Geoff Blum (2-for-4) and Kaz Matsui (0-1), seeing both of them in 2007 when they wore Padres and Rockies jerseys respectively. Houston has a long history of becoming the Hitless Wonders when facing a pitcher for the first time, especially if that pitcher is a portsider. The Giants have dropped all three games Misch has started since his ’08 debut on Apr 27.

Plate Ump: Off a 2007 season in which he was a heavy over ump (22-12-1 O/U), Gerry Davis is in his 24th year at the major league level and presently owns a 4-4 O/U mark. He has a tight vertical zone which will have pitchers barking at him, but will also catch an earful on occasion for his horizontal zone (outside pitches for right-handed hitters and inside for lefties can sometimes drift off the plate by a couple-three inches).

Weather: A few clouds, but otherwise a nice day in San Fran with temps in mid-70s tonight when the game begins and a breeze blowing from the LF corner to the RF corner.

boxcar · 05-14-08, 05:53 PM

Thanks, WB. Can I ask where you get your ump assignments from?

Willie Bee · 05-14-08, 06:02 PM

Pretty much just follow the listings from the game before using boxscores at any of several different sites (ESPN, USA Today, etc), and follow the natural rotation which is 1B moves to HP, HP moves to 3B, 3B moves to 2B, 2B moves to 1B. They've been known to make last minute unannounced changes, so it's not in stone. But if you are one who daily checks all boxscores, it's easy to find and at least get a general line on.

Willie Bee · 05-15-08, 07:08 AM

Good question, rake. This goes against the stats probably, but I think the 7½ in the Toronto-Minnesota game might be low.