Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
September 06, 2007
Games of the Day

There are only five games today, but each holds some playoff importance. The White Sox and Tigers play the rubber game of their series after an extra-inning win on Wednesday kept the Tigers in striking distance of the Yankees. They'll have to get by Mark Buehrle today, however, and for some reason the Tigers can't hit the most blown out team in the majors this week.

It's a good afternoon for the NL Central race as the Cardinals host Pittsburgh and the Cubs finish their series with Los Angeles. Bryan Bullington makes his first major league start this afternoon. He's demonstrated great control in the minors. Mike Maroth takes the hill for St. Louis. He's missed a month with a sore elbow, but pitched badly before that. If a team goes to a six man rotation, it helps to have six decent pitchers.

Derek Lowe and Jason Marquis face off in Chicago. A Cubs loss puts them in a tie with the Brewers for first place in the NL Central. Lowe has pitched poorly since the all-star break, allowing a 5.47 ERA in that time. He allowed eight home runs before the break, nine since in seventy seven fewer innings. Marquis has kept the ball in the park at Wrigley this season, allowing just eight home runs in 91 2/3 innings at home. Opponents hit thirteen in 73 1/3 road innings.

Tim Wakefield goes for his seventeenth win and his twenty seventh decision in twenty seven starts against Baltimore tonight. Wakefield is coming off a great August in which he posted a 2.45 ERA by not allowing a home run. Garrett Olson is today's sacrificial lamb for the Orioles. Olson strikes people out, 25 in 28 2/3 innings. But he has no control as he's walked 26.

Two and one half games separate the three division leaders in the AL, and two of them square off tonight as the Indians visit Anaheim to play the Angels. The Indians are one game behind the Angels for second place in the league. Cleveland needs to take three out of four to move into second place, meaning home field in the first round and the chance to play the wild card instead of a division winner. With the season series tied at three between the clubs, the Angels just need a split to hold second place, although taking three out of four gives them the tie breaker as well. Paul Byrd takes on Kelvim Escobar. The veteran Byrd has two shutouts in his last six starts and holds a 7-1 record since the All-Star break. Escobar has allowed five runs in two of his last three starts, but still remains a strong Cy Young candidate.

Enjoy!


Posted by David Pinto at 08:30 AM | Matchups | TrackBack (0)
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