Trucking right into a new week, Interleague action continues down the path of the season. As we turn to Tuesday’s fully loaded, 15-game card several pitching duels are barking for attention. Which matchups can we take to the bank, and are their any vulnerabilities to be aware of?
N.Y. Yankees at Atlanta - 7:00 p.m. EDT
Chien-Ming Wang (0-5, 12.30 ERA). What more needs to be said? A five-inning outing last Wednesday may have bought him time in the rotation. His sinker is still all over the place and giving up six homers in the last 10 games indicates a lack of consistency. And what else can be said about averaging just 3.8 innings of action in his last three starts? Almost every statistic possible is working against Wang on Tuesday. These include righties going to town for a .346 BA while lefties have been superman like at .457. Road or home, the once dominant Yankees’ starter seems to have never recovered from torn right-foot tendons suffered in last year’s meeting in Houston. Adding insult to injury, the all important first pitch has been hammered this year, indicated by opponents teeing off for a .533 BA and taking 13 total bases. His interleague numbers (and anything else historical in nature) are about all we can base a decent outing on. In 11 starts versus the opposing league, Wang has constructed a 5-4 record with a 3.81 ERA. Books have continued to install New York’s starter as a steep favorite. In two of his last three starts, the board has been lit up with Wang as a $1.91 favorite in a 3-2 loss against Washington (6/17) and a $1.61 favorite in a no decision versus Texas (6/4).
On the opposing hill is Atlanta’s Tommy Hanson (2-0, 4.08). With only three starts under his belt in ’09, Hanson has made the most out of his rookie season. Two straight wins versus Cincinnati and Baltimore had the right-hander being stingy for a total of 12 hits allowed and two runs. His .240 BAA at home beats the .279 BAA on the road. And going up against a Yankees’ club swinging through the ball for a .232 BA, striking out 29 times and producing three runs per game could be just what Hanson backers need to cash in heavy. But this matchup isn’t without its insecurities as Atlanta’s slinger excelled against the a Reds club hitting .244 on the season followed by the Reds scoring a 24th worst, 286 runs.
The Braves are 3-6 in their last nine road games. New York is 10-4 in its last 14 head-to-head meetings. The ‘under is 5-1 in the Yanks last six and 13-3 in their last 16 interleague games.
Cubs at Detroit – 7:05 p.m. EDT
Both clubs have had equal success in the last 10 as an even 5-5 performance is indicative of. Chicago will dress Carlos Zambrano (4-2, 3.44) for the start. The Cubbies are 8-3 when their number one guy hits the pile of dirt, supplying 4.5 runs per game of support. His 1.5 runs per game (1.3 earned runs per game) surrendered in the last four starts goes above and beyond the call of duty. In Zambrano’s last seven starts, Chicago has gone 5-2, earning a profit of +284 on the money line. It’s in totals wagering where the money has been made. Zambrano has been instrumental in pushing the ‘under’ at 4-1 in the last five. With the exception of his last start against the White Sox, (going ‘over’ the 8 ½-total), Zambrano and the Cubs have seen an average total score of only 5.6 runs per game in the last five. And with the Tigers taking a back seat in the offensive department this month (batting .247, scoring 4.1 runs per game), expect much the same as most books look to adjust that total once more.
Planning to go toe-to-toe against Zambrano will be the Tigers’ fastball pitcher, Edwin Jackson (6-4, 2.39). The youngster is, hands down, having his best season to date. A 1.06 WHIP is off the charts and allowing 1.5 runs per game in his last four outings has been spot on. But it’s worth noting that in each of his last three outings, Jackson’s performance has progressively gotten worse. It’s been in the innings pitched that are of importance. On June 6, the Tigers defeated the Angels, 2-1 as Jackson received the complete game win. The next two starts have since seen the right-hander going five and six innings progressively. There’s no secret that Jackson hasn’t been as efficient as in games past this season. Backers be on alert though because this six-year vet is a monster at home. His 3-1 record and .214 BAA has been all you can ask with home town cooking behind him.
The total once again rears its head as a six-game ‘under’ streak has been in full effect with Jackson on the hill. In 11 of 14 appearances, Edwin Jackson has been able to cut opponents down by allowing three runs or fewer. The ‘under’ is also 11-4 in Detroit’s last 15 home games.
Colorado at L.A. Angels – 10:05 p.m. EDT
Let’s end Tuesday’s coverage glancing at a smoking Rockies club looking to enhance their already impressive 16-1 run in the last 17. Ubaldo Junenez (6-6, 3.73) will be responsible for keeping the momentum going. Colorado’s starting pitcher has been a stud at home (3-0 with a 2.34 ERA), but a road record at 2-4 and a 3.67 ERA are two obvious but damaging numbers to consider. His last four road trips have resulted in a 1-3 disappointment. But there’s more to this story. For instance, Junenez has surrendered 1.8 runs per game in that same stretch while the Rockies’ offense crossed the plate for four runs per game. With the batting order at a .246 figure on the road this season blame can’t be fully attached to just Junenez. Colorado is 2-7 in its last nine meetings against the Halos. In his last three starts, Junenez has been listed as the ‘dog twice.
The Angels have made a pitching change for this matchup, starting Sean O’ Sullivan instead of Ervin Santana. The right-hander is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA on the season, easily handling the Giants last week with an 8-1 victory. The rookie will try to help the Halos avoid a four-game losing streak, something that hasn’t happened since the 2006 season.
The ‘under’ is 19-9-1 in Colorado’s last 29 interleague games while the Rockies are 10-0 in their last 10 road games.
Joshua Jacobs can be reached at jacobs@vegasinsider.com
