Tuesday MLB Handicapper Report - 8/7

[Jeff Grant]

Pittsburgh Pirates
-SP Jeff Karstens has gone 2-0 with a 0.43 ERA in three home starts this year
-Karstens brings in a 20-inning home scoreless streak into tonight’s game
-Starting rotation is 4-1 with a 1.90 ERA in the last six games
-Gone 11-4 in games started by opposing left-handers at home
-Staff ranks first with a 2.32 ERA at home
-Karstens has gone 3-0 with a 2.52 ERA in four starts versus divisional teams this year
-Karstens went 0-1 with a 0.69 ERA in two starts against the DBacks last year


Washington Nationals
-The Nationals are 4-1 against the Astros this year, but have been outscored 20-19
-SP Ross Detwiler’s 3.02 ERA ranks third among NL left-handed pitchers that have made at least 15 starts
-Detwiler is 2-12 with a 4.10 ERA in 29 career games (20 starts) on the road


Detroit Tigers
-Won their last nine home games, while going 23-11 in their last 34 games overall
-Offense has scored 107 runs in its last 17 games at home (25 HRs)
-SP Rick Porcello is 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA in his last three home starts against the Yankees
-Porcello has allowed just one HR in his last 13 starts (76.1 IP)

Check out my early thoughts on three MLB games on tonight's card

[You mad bro]

u do good work .. thanks jeff

[Big Bear]

yes well done

[Jeff Grant]

Cincinnati Reds
-Possess the second-best road ERA (3.19) in the majors
-The Reds are 20-14 at Miller Park the last five seasons
-SP Johnny Cueto is 5-0 with a 3.09 ERA in his last five starts
-Cueto is 0-2 with a 5.14 ERA in five career starts in Milwaukee


Seattle Mariners
-Scored a total of seven runs in the first four games of their road trip, came into the trip averaging 4.87 rpg in their first 53 road games
-Rotation has compiled an 11-4 record and 2.14 ERA over the last 18 games
-Posted a 15-9 record since the All-Star break, trailing the Tigers (15-8) and Athletics (15-8)
-SP Blake Beavan is 4-0 with a 3.18 ERA in his last four starts, while going 4-0 with a 2.61 ERA at Triple-A after being optioned on June 13


Minnesota Twins
-The Twins are 6-3 against the Indians this year, winning the last six meetings
-Staff has a 2.58 ERA over the last 11 games
-Outscored the Indians by a 55-16 margin and out-hit them 72-39 in the last six meetings
-SP Samuel Deduno is allowing lefties to hit .259 this season (.170 RHB)

[Jeff Grant]

Chicago Cubs
-Gone 8-12 against NL West teams this year, with all eight wins coming at home
-Lead the NL with a .991 fielding percentage since June 27
-SP Brooks Raley was named the team’s Minor League Pitcher of the Month for July (2.12 ERA in the PCL)

Baltimore Orioles
-Gone 63-36 at Camden Yards against the Mariners since 1992
-Posted a 9-14 record against AL West opponents this year
-Batting .285 with a 43 runs scored over the last 10 games
-OF Nick Markakis is batting .346 with 18 runs scored in 24 games since returning from the DL
-SP Zach Britton has allowed six of his 17 runs in the first inning this year

Texas Rangers
-Lost more than two games in a row just three times this year
-Have the third-best road winning percentage (29-24, .547) in the AL
-The Rangers are 10-6 at Fenway Park since 2009, best mark in the AL in that span
-Pitching staff has a 7.50 ERA in the last eight games (15 HRs allowed)
-Southpaw starters are 1-2 with an 8.46 ERA in their last five outings against the Rangers
-SP Ryan Dempster owned the NL’s lowest road ERA (1.82) before getting traded

Learn more about tonight's AL matchup at Fenway Park

Kansas City Royals
-Seven of their last nine games have been decided by two runs or less
-The Royals are 3-15 in their last 18 road games (21-16 to start)
-SP Bruce Chen has an 8.73 ERA over his last seven starts (33 IP, 32 ER)
-Chen is 3-0 with a 1.00 ERA in his last four starts at U.S. Cellular Field
-Chen has pitched past the sixth inning just once on the road this year

Arizona Diamondbacks
-Lost six of their last seven games at PNC Park
-Rotation has recorded a season-high seven straight quality starts (4-2, 1.79 ERA)
-Won four of six games after getting shutout
-Scored five or more runs 54 times, most in the NL, second-most in the majors (Angels and Yankees, 57)
-Arizona is 3-41 when scoring less than four runs, fewest amount of wins in the majors

New York Mets
-Pitching staff has a 2.81 ERA over the last eight games
-Play 29 of their next 47 games at home (26-26 currently)
-SP Jonathon Niese is 5-1 with a 2.08 ERA in 12 starts with extra rest this year (3-4, 6.15 ERA on regular)
-Niese is 1-4 with a 4.47 ERA in eight career starts against the Marlins

Find out if the Mets are a worthy favorite against the Marlins on Tuesday night

[Jeff Grant]

Chicago White Sox
-Best record in the AL since May 17 (43-27)
-Won 13 of their last 15 home games, outscoring opponents by a 97-52 margin
-Bullpen has a 1.15 ERA over the last 14 games
-SP Jake Peavy owns a 1.82 ERA in his last five home starts
-Peavy has gone 0-4 with a 5.97 ERA in his last five starts against the Royals


New York Yankees
-Struck out a season-high 14 times last night
-Have not faced a left-handed starter since Aug. 1
-SS Derek Jeter is batting .394 in the first inning this year
-Gone a season-high 12 games without an error
-Lost eight of their last 12 in Detroit
-SP Philip Hughes has won four of his last five starts versus Detroit (4-1, 2.25 ERA)


Boston Red Sox
-1B Adrian Gonzalez ranks second in the AL behind Albert Pujols (25) with 24 RBI since the All-Star break
-Rank second in the majors with 330 runs scored at home (Rockies, 331)
-Outscored 78-42 in losing eight of their last 11 home games to the Rangers
-SP Jon Lester went at least six innings and allowed three earned runs or less in seven of his previous eight outings against the Rangers - until giving up seven earned runs in an outing this year


Tampa Bay Rays
-The Rays are 6-2 against the Blue Jays this year, while going 10-0-1 in the last 11 series (24-2-1 in their last 27 series)
-Lead the majors with a 2.34 ERA since the All-Star break, next closest is St. Louis and Seattle at 3.00
-Tampa Bay was 15-8 with Evan Longoria in the lineup (41-44 after injury)
-SP James Shields is 5-1 in his last eight starts against the Blue Jays (7-1 team record)


San Francisco Giants
-Averaging 5.02 runs on the road this season, highest average in the NL, second in the majors (LAA, 5.14)
-Hit 53 of their 70 HRs on the road this year, seven on current road trip
-C Buster Posey leads the majors with 27 RBIs since the All-Star break
-Bullpen has a 6.62 ERA over the last 11 games
-Batting .364 with RISP on the road trip
-SP Barry Zito has a 7.71 ERA in the first inning this year (3.55 ERA from 2-9)
-Zito is 0-3 with a 11.35 ERA in three career starts at Busch Stadium

Don't forget that the NFL preseason kicks into high gear this week

[Jeff Grant]

u do good work .. thanks jeff

Thanks guys - appreciate the support