Will the Los Angeles Dodgers Pay Off Saturday's Home Plate Umpire?

[Jeff Grant]

The Los Angeles Dodgers are currently -180 home favorites against the Miami Marlins, as they are spending more money than the U.S. government this summer. The franchise might want to use some of that cash in paying off home plate umpire Bob Davidson

• Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw has a 13.06 ERA in two starts in his strike zone (6.2 IP, 11 ERA), which includes the shortest outing of his career on May 4, 2010
• Marlins starting pitcher Josh Johnson has a 0.64 ERA in two career efforts with Davidson behind the dish (14 IP, ER)
• Johnson is also a perfect 3-0 with a 3.46 ERA in four lifetime appearances at Dodger Stadium
• Sports bettors will also find that the Fish are 13-5 in his last 18 outings as a road underdog

Read Saturday's SBR Forum articles to learn more about today's incredible action

[Jeff Grant]

Tampa Bay Rays
-Finish a stretch of 19 days without a day off (14-4)
-The Rays are 21-10 against the AL West, best in the Junior Circuit
-Outscored opponents by a 99-44 margin since 3B Evan Longoria returned to the lineup
-Own a 21-8 mark on getaway days
-Bullpen owns a 0.88 ERA over the last 34 games
-Tampa Bay has lost all three of Jeremy Hellickson’s starts against the Athletics (4.80 ERA)


Oakland Athletics
-Won seven of their last nine games, moving to a season-high tying 11 games over .500
-Best record in baseball since the start of July (31-15)
-Starting rotation has a 3.81 ERA, ranking second in the AL
-The Athletics are 85-52 all-time against the Rays, which is the best record against Tampa Bay by any AL team
-SP Brandon McCarthy is 8-0 with a 3.34 ERA in 13 starts against AL East opponents since 2009
-McCarthy was 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA in two starts against the Rays in 2011

Read more about this AL contest at Tropicana Field

[R.P. McMurphy]

Great info as usual Jeff! Another side note in Davidsons last 12 games the dogs are 6-6. Tread lightly L.A. backers

[Jeff Grant]

San Francisco Giants
-Currently a season-high 16 games above .500
-Won 25 of their 40 games since the All-Star break (Reds 29-13, Nationals 28-14, Athletics 25-14, Mariners 25-14, Rays 25-15)
-SP Madison Bumgarner has the lowest home ERA (1.87) in the National League
-Bumgarner has won 13 of his last 14 home decisions
-Posted a 27-13 record against left-handed starters this year (.266 average, seventh-highest BA in the majors)
-Rotation has gone 5-0 with a 1.80 ERA over the last five games
-Hitting .340 with RISP this month, highest in the majors
-Bumgarner is 18-10 with a 2.57 ERA in 41 games (38 starts) in the second half in his career
-Bumgarner is 0-2 with a 3.78 ERA in three outings against the Braves


Texas Rangers
-Gone 20-11 in day games this season, third-best mark in the majors (Reds 31-13, Orioles 23-12), won five straight
-Texas is 9-1-1 in its last 11 home series
-Won eight of their last nine against the Twins
-SP Ryan Dempster is 1-1 with a 7.62 ERA in three games (two starts) against the Twins, with two of the three outings at the Metrodome
-Dempster is 4-2 with a 4.08 ERA in seven starts versus AL clubs


Minnesota Twins
-Looking to avoid their fifth losing streak of at least five games
-The Twins are 31-24 against the Rangers since Ron Washington started managing in the series
-Batting .218, while posting a 4.96 ERA in losing seven of eight games on the current road trip
-SP Brian Duensing is 1-2 with a 3.60 ERA in four road games (two starts) versus the Rangers
-Duensing is 6-8 with a 3.88 ERA in 31 appearances (12 starts) versus AL West teams


Cincinnati Reds
-The Reds 29-13 record since the All-Star break and 41 wins at home bot hare the best in the majors
-Gone 18-7 at home since the All-Star break
-SP Mike Leak is 1-2 with a 5.24 ERA in five games (four starts) against the Cardinals


St. Louis Cardinals
-Allen Craig currently leads the majors with a .405 BA with RISP
-SP Jaime Garcia is 7-1 with a 3.12 ERA in 11 appearances (nine starts) versus the Reds, including a 2-1 mark and 4.50 ERA in six road appearances (four starts)
-Garcia struck out a career-high 10 batters on Aug. 19, first start since returning from the DL

Read what my early thoughts were on three MLB games this morning

[R.P. McMurphy]

Bump!

[yisman]

the dodgers are crazy

taking on two of the worst contracts in baseball.

It's one thing to spend money, it's another to take on Beckett (washed up) and Crawford (past his prime and shut down for the season).

[You mad bro]

Love ur work as always jeff

[Jeff Grant]

Love ur work as always jeff

Should be an interesting game - like the first five innings more than the game itself

[You mad bro]

I'm on marlins fr 1500 ... Hope josh has a great game and kershaw stinks one up tonight which is unlikely

[You mad bro]

9 pitches ...3 groundouts lol

[Jeff Grant]

Vin Scully wants a ring...Incredible first inning

[You mad bro]

I lose