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Hot lines: Sunday's best MLB bets


Philadelphia Phillies at Houston Astros (+155, 8.5)

Playing the under continues to be the trend with the Phillies. Friday’s 7-0 loss to the Astros was the eighth time the final score has fell below the oddsmakers’ number in Philadelphia’s last 10 games.

The biggest reason behind this current under streak is the lack of pop from the Phillies lineup. Philadelphia can’t seem to get things going in the past week, hitting a major-league worst .215 and totaling just seven runs heading into Saturday’s Game 2.

In Friday’s loss, Philadelphia had seven hits and left the bases loaded in the seventh inning. The goose egg on the scoreboard was the second time in three games the Phillies were shutout.

"We have to do better," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel told reporters."We had some chances to score some runs tonight, but we didn't... we couldn't get a big hit."

It hasn’t hurt those betting the under that Philly’s pitching staff is posting an ERA just over 3.00 during this stretch. Phillies ace Cole Hamels steps to the mound Sunday. He hasn’t given up a run in his last two starts.

Pick: Under 8.5

Cincinnati Reds at Atlanta Braves (-175, 8.5)

Tim Hudson has a three-game win streak rolling – if you count his final two starts of 2008 before the Braves right-hander underwent Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery last August.

In his first game back with Atlanta, Hudson logged just under six innings of work and allowed two runs on six hits while striking out five batters. Hudson had a three-hour rain delay to help calm his nerves in Tuesday’s 4-3 win over Florida. He struggled a bit with his control, walking three batters.

"I'm happy with the majority of my pitches and the action on the ball," Hudson told reporters. "I think my stuff is there. But it's just locating it better at times."

Hudson has performed well against Cincinnati during his career. In five starts versus the Reds, he is 3-1 and boasts a 3.57 ERA.

Pick: Atlanta -175

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Sunday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers


Streaking

Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox

Lester’s recent gems are a big reason why bettors can never count the Red Sox out. The left-hander has led the team to wins in his last four trips to the mound.

Since the All-Star break, Lester has posted 3.02 ERA and a WHIP of 1.14. He’s also totaled 196 strikeouts on the season, which is a team record for the BoSox. Lester overtook Bruce Hurst’s 1987 franchise record for left-handers. He pitched six innings against the Rays, allowing two runs and striking out nine batters.

Jonathan Sanchez, San Francisco Giants

Sanchez was just what the Giants needed – another lights-out pitcher.

The young lefty has been stellar on the bump for San Francisco. But, like his pitching peers, has suffered at the hands of the team’s lackluster offense. In his last three starts, Sanchez has a 1-1 record despite a 2.00 ERA, 25 strikeouts and just 11 hits allowed.

In his last trip to the bump, Sanchez gave up just one run on three hits while striking out eight batters. However, the Giants could muster just two hits and were shutout 1-0 by the Phillies.

Slumping

Derek Holland, Texas Rangers

Holland can’t be happy facing another AL East foe Sunday. His last two starts, against the Blue Jays and Yankees, proved disastrous for the rookie.

He allowed 10 earned runs on seven hits in just three innings of work against Toronto this past Monday. The start before that, the southpaw was knocked around for six earned runs on seven hits in six innings versus New York.

Holland has been susceptible to the long ball in recent appearance, allowing seven home runs in his last four starts.

Bud Norris, Houston Astros

Houston is hoping some extra time off can help Bud Norris forget about his past two trips to the rubber.

Norris will start on seven-days rest Sunday after the team skipped his turn in the rotation. The rookie has surpassed his career high pitch count and could be feeling a little worn out heading into the home stretch.

In his last two appearances, Norris has allowed a combined 12 earned runs in just six innings of work. The righty has struggled with his control, walking seven batters in those games and watching his pitch counts climb into the high 90’s despite limited work.

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Sunday Night Baseball: Padres at Dodgers
By MARC LAWRENCE - They say the harder you work, the luckier you get

San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers (-201, 8.5)

Southern California is the scene for Sunday night baseball where the first-place Dodgers host the last-place Padres at Chavez Ravine.

San Diego sends rookie right-hander Tim Stauffer (3-6, 3.76 ERA) to the hill against Los Angeles right-hander Hiroki Kuroda (5-5, 4.08 ERA), who makes his first start off the 15-day DL since being hit in the head by a line drive at Arizona August 15.

Down the stretch

While the Dodgers remain busy trying to hold off fast-closing Colorado and San Francisco, the Padres have put on a run of their own.

Entering the weekend, San Diego owned a .318 team batting average over its previous 15 road games, averaging more than six runs and 12 hits per game. As a result the Padres were 9-6 in those games.

They opened a string of 17 games over the final three weeks of the season against the Dodgers and the two aforementioned National League West clubs that are battling for playoff berths.

RBI guys

In hopes of adding some additional clout to the lineup, the Dodgers acquired future Hall of Famer Jim Thome from the White Sox just prior to the waiver wire.

Thome’s 74 RBI’s this season ranks him No. 3 behind Andre Ethier (88) and James Loney (75) on the Los Angeles roster.

The likeable left-handed slugger, currently 36 dingers short of 600 home runs, will be utilized primarily as a pinch-hitter, thus curtailing his run at 600.

"Getting 600 would be great. Right now I'm focused and really excited about being here,” Thome told the media. “It was something out of the blue. I never expected to go back to the National League. To be here is just a thrill, it really is."

San Diego 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff’s 79 RBIs on the season ties him with All-Star 1B Adrian Gonzalez for the Padres’ team lead.

Pick me up

In hopes of bolstering a pitching staff that is on the mend, the Dodgers also picked up RHP Jon Garland from the Diamondbacks.

Garland became the 12th starting pitcher the Dodgers have used in 2009. The most starters the Dodgers have used since moving to Los Angeles is 13 back in 1964.

Armed forces

Stauffer has performed much better that his 3-6 record would indicate. He has won consecutive starts despite receiving four or less runs in nine of his last 11 starting efforts.

The rookie owns a respectable 4.35 ERA in his last six road outings.

Kuroda gave up one unearned run in five innings in his minor league rehab start Tuesday. Manager Joe Torre reported his first pitch was a line drive through the box and he also faced a broken bat hit, leaving the Dodgers bench boss convinced that Kuroda isn't scared about being hit again.

Los Angeles is 10-4 in Kuroda’s last 14 team starts. Kuroda brings a 5-1 career team start mark against San Diego into the contest.

Check the calendar

While Kuroda is 4-1 with a 2.97 ERA in his MLB career team starts in September, he is just 2-6 on Sundays.

The Dodgers have come up winners in eight of their last 12 games on Sundays while the Padres have dropped seven straight on the day of rest.

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Down the home stretch: MLB's best and worst September bets
By JON KUIPERIJ


The length of the baseball season tests a team’s ability to maintain focus and intensity through to Game 162.

Some are better than others - and it's not always the playoff-bound teams that do it.

It should come as no surprise that the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels have three of the top September records over the past three years.

But you might be surprised by a couple teams that tend to play their best baseball in the final month, and by a couple teams that don't.

Strong finishers

Philadelphia Phillies

The defending World champions are usually a reliable bet throughout the season, but they turn up their game another notch in September. Philadelphia is 52-30 (.634 winning percentage) in the final month over the past three seasons, compared to 266-220 (.530) in the other months.

It hasn’t been just one phenomenal September that skewed the Phils’ numbers either – they’ve been 17-11 or better all three years. The team might not have that much incentive to continue its hot September play this year, considering it has a very comfortable lead in the NL East.

Toronto Blue Jays

Toronto has been a strong September team the past three seasons, going 49-33 (.598). That winning percentage is much higher than the Jays’ record in other months (207-197, .512). Making this trend even more impressive is the fact that September schedules are often loaded with division matchups. In Toronto’s case, that means plenty of games against the Red Sox and Yankees.

The Jays’ September success might come to an end this year, however. Toronto has often appeared overmatched and disheartened in losing 20 of its past 29 games.

Kansas City Royals

Kansas City is under .500 in September the past three years (40-41, .493), but that’s still a dramatic improvement over the Royals’ record during the other months (166-239, .410). The Royals’ fall numbers are inflated a bit by last year’s results, when KC won 18 of its final 26 games. It'd be hard to imagine a similar run to end this season, since the Royals have dropped 35 of their last 49 contests.

Fading finishers

Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles are the best team in baseball at one thing - waving the white flag. Baltimore actually hasn't been that bad from April to August the past three years, posting a record of 182-220 (.453). But the Orioles don't seem to worry about building momentum for the following season once it gets to September.

They are a league-worst 25-58 (.301) in the final month the past three campaigns, including 5-20 last year. Baltimore seems to be up to its old tricks again this season, starting September with three straight losses.

Detroit Tigers

Forgive Detroit fans if they don't not feel comfortable with a six-game lead in the AL Central. Despite playing well above .500 ball in the first five months of the season the last three years (221-184, .546), the Tigers have stumbled significantly in two of the last three Septembers.

They are 36-45 overall (.444) in the first month of fall during the last three years, including a 12-16 mark in 2006 that nearly cost them a playoff spot. Detroit has started this September on the right foot, however, winning its first three games.

St. Louis Cardinals

Like the Tigers, St. Louis has shown a tendency to play good baseball until the finish line is in sight. The Cardinals' pre-September record the last three years was 210-190 (.525), but St. Louis has gone 37-48 (.435) to close out the seasons.

That trend might continue this year. The Cards have all but locked up the NL Central title and might rest starters or lose focus in the final weeks.

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Pitchers Report - September
By Marc Lawrence


In keeping with our game plan of acknowledging good pitchers and avoiding bad pitchers during their GOOD and BAD months of the season, below is the list of arms to watch throughout the month of September. Note that the W-L records are those of the team in which the listed pitcher started over the previous three seasons.

Herein, I present a list of the BEST and WORST pitcher performance records during the months of September/October over the past three years. And, hey beer man, two more for the road. Enjoy...

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER GOOD MONTH PITCHERS:
Cole Hamels 14-5 Philadelphia
Joe Blanton 13-5 Philadelphia
Cliff Lee 8-3 Philadelphia
Jon Lester 10-4 Boston
Daisuke Matsuzaka 12-5 Boston
Gil Meche 11-5 Kansas City
Roy Oswalt 12-4 Houston
Joe Saunders 12-4 Angels

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER BAD MONTH PITCHERS:
Aaron Cook 2-8 Colorado
Tom Gorzelanny 3-8 Chicago Cubs