It's approaching 10 months since Johan Santana last lost a start. He's never lost one to the Florida Marlins. One day before the New York spotlight will be on Queens for the first regular-season game at Citi Field, the Mets' ace will try to shine against the Marlins on Sunday afternoon when his team looks for the series win. Santana, though, will have to outpitch Florida right-hander Josh Johnson, who has never lost to the Mets. Santana (1-0, 1.59 ERA) takes the mound for the second time this season following a 2-1 win over Cincinnati on Monday, when he allowed just one run and three hits over 5 2-3 innings. Unlike last season, when the Mets' bullpen blew five of Santana's nine leads in the ninth inning, first-year Mets relievers Sean Green, J.J. Putz and Francisco Rodriquez threw 3 1-3 innings of scoreless relief. "They deserve all the credit,'' Santana said. "It's great for us, and it was big for getting the comfort level up." Santana, though, deserves plenty of credit. The veteran lefty, who led the majors with a 2.53 ERA in 2008, is 10-0 with a 2.07 ERA in his last 18 starts and has not lost since June 28. He is 5-0 with a 1.83 ERA in five career starts against the Marlins, including 3-0 with a 1.96 ERA in three starts in 2008, highlighted by a three-hitter on Sept. 27 in a 2-0 win pitching on three days' rest.
Pick: New York -119
New York Yankees at Kansas City Royals (+124, 8)
Kansas City starter Gil Meche (0-0, 1.29) was outstanding in his 2009 debut, but did not get anything to show for it. He allowed one run over seven innings and did not issue a walk in a 4-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. Meche threw 91 pitches and staked the Royals to a 2-1 lead before manager Trey Hillman turned to the bullpen. "I felt good enough to go back out and I told 'em that, but you've got some guys down there who've done it before," Meche told the Royals' official Web site. Meche is 0-2 with a 4.75 ERA in his last six starts against the Yankees. He's 3-4 with a 4.38 ERA against them overall in 13 outings. Joba Chamberlain makes his season debut Sunday for the Yankees when they try to complete a three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals. There was plenty of attention surrounding the decision by New York (3-2) to move Chamberlain into the rotation last June after he was so successful as a setup man. He had a 2.28 ERA in 20 appearances out of the bullpen when the Yankees opted to try to give their depleted rotation a boost. Although the 23-year-old right-hander struggled to get lengthened out in his first few starts, he eventually proved he could be effective as a starter, going 3-1 with a 2.76 ERA in 12 starts before moving back to the bullpen. It has been an eventful past few months for Chamberlain. He pleaded guilty to a DUI charge that occurred in his hometown of Lincoln, Neb. on Oct. 18 and he struggled to provide innings in his spring outings. His longest effort of the spring was last Sunday when he allowed two runs and two hits over 5 1-3 innings pitching for Double-A Trenton in a camp game against Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
After Sunday's regular-season finale, the next time the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings could face is the Western Conference finals. With the way the teams are playing lately, it's the Blackhawks - not the defending Stanley Cup champion Red Wings - who are primed for a postseason run. Chicago will look to continue that momentum heading into its first postseason appearance in seven years on Sunday at home, while Detroit will try to finish the regular season on a positive note going into its title defense. The fourth-seeded Blackhawks (45-24-12) will face Calgary in the first round, while the No. 2 seed Red Wings (51-20-10) will take on Anaheim or Columbus depending on Sunday's St. Louis-Colorado game. If the Blues win, Detroit would get a first-round matchup with Columbus, otherwise it's the Ducks who come to Joe Louis Arena. In opener of a home-and-home series Saturday in Detroit, Chicago clinched home ice against the Flames and snapped a five-game skid to the Red Wings with three third-period goals, including Dustin Byfuglien's penalty shot with 28 seconds left, in a 4-2 victory. The win was the Blackhawks' fifth in six April games, with their only blemish a 4-3 shootout loss to Columbus on March 8. "That's what we wanted - to go into the playoffs on a high note," Chicago defenseman Duncan Keith said.
Pick: Chicago
New York Rangers at Philedelphia Flyers (N/A)
The Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers know who they'll be playing in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, and the Rangers know they'll be hitting the road to open the postseason. The Flyers can make sure they won't have to say the same. Philadelphia can clinch the East's No. 4 seed and home ice in the first round of the playoffs with a point Sunday afternoon against the visiting Rangers in the regular-season finale for both teams. The Flyers (44-26-11) came into Saturday tied with Carolina and Pittsburgh for fourth in the East, and coach John Stevens' team jumped ahead with a 3-2 victory that afternoon against the New York Islanders. The Hurricanes lost to New Jersey in their finale, while the Penguins beat Montreal later Saturday night to ensure Pittsburgh and Philadelphia will meet in a rematch of last season's Eastern Conference final. Where that series will begin, however, is still undecided. The Penguins' regular season is over, meaning the Flyers can earn home ice by picking up one point against the Rangers (42-30-9). "I've said all along that as long as we take care of ourselves it doesn't matter what happens outside of us," Stevens said. "I have seen the focus get a lot better this week. Even in practice, the guys seemed more relaxed and focused, and that's a sign that the playoffs are getting close.'' New York has nothing tangible to play for Sunday, as the Canadiens' loss to the Penguins on Saturday locked the Rangers into the No. 7 seed and a first-round matchup with Southeast Division champion Washington.
The Knicks are playing the spoiler role after being eliminated from postseason contention for the fifth straight year. They dealt a crushing blow to the Magic's hopes of getting the East's second spot with a 105-95 victory in Orlando on Friday night. "On national television, we were just coming out and trying to play our best," said David Lee, who had 20 points and 16 rebounds to help the Knicks avoid a season sweep by Orlando. "We were up after three quarters like we have been almost every single game against the Magic this year. We were just able to get some stops this time." The win was just New York's third in the last 15 games. "Just a lot of good things, just solid," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "It's one of the first nights we have had that for a while." New York has won three of its last five visits to Miami and is 29-27 all-time there, including a 7-7 mark in the postseason.
Pick: New York +6.5
Memphis Grizzlies at Los Angeles Lakers (-12, 201)
Memphis is coming off a 106-89 win over Phoenix on Friday - its fifth victory in seven games. The Grizzlies scored 26 points off 22 turnovers and had five players score in double figures, led by Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo, who each had 20. "It really feels as though we could play anybody," Gay said. "We might as well just go out and just play hard. We have nothing to lose. Our backs are not against the wall. We're just playing free." With three games remaining, the Grizzlies are looking to the future and with Gay and Mayo leading the way, they're optimistic about next season. The duo is averaging 42.4 points in the last seven games. "I think the guys are starting to see we can be really good (next season)," guard Mike Conley said. "With a draft pick or two, we'll be back ready to play." Memphis closes the season with a road game against the Suns on Monday and a home contest Wednesday against Atlanta. The Lakers are looking to sweep the season series for the first time since 2002-03.
Covers' MLB Hot Lines 4-12-09
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