Starting pitcher rankings for Sept. 4, 2009

[BadCo]

Zito takes shutout into ninth inning: Barry Zito carried a shutout into the ninth inning, Pablo Sandoval hit a home run and the Giants got within a game of the Rockies for the NL wild card by beating them 5-3 Saturday night. Zito (9-11) allowed one run on eight hits over 8 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out seven.

Zito did not allow an earned run in his previous two outings and tossed eight shutout innings on Saturday before allowing a solo homer to Brad Hawpe. He has brought his ERA below 4.00 on the season with Saturday's performance.




Suppan claims first win since June: Brewers SP Jeff Suppan (6-8) gave up just one run on eight hits over six innings Sunday as he picked up his first win since June 12 in Milwaukee's 4-1 win over the Pirates. Suppan struck out one and walked three.

Well, where did this come from? Suppan looked awful on either side of his recent DL trip and then suddenly produces this gem of an outing. Suppan benefited from very good defense Sunday, a likely karma-related side effect of the fact that there were 30,000 Jeff Suppan bobblehead dolls in Miller Park.

 

[BadCo]

Lee lost Saturday for the first time since joining the Phillies. He allowed the Braves to score six runs on 10 hits.
The long ball really got to Lee Saturday, as the Braves scored all five of their runs off him on three home runs (Garrett Anderson, Yunel Escobar and Matt Diaz). His first five starts with the Phillies were so good that his ERA still stands at 1.80 and his WHIP at 0.89. He did not walk a batter and threw 64 of his 93 pitches for strikes




Rodriguez decent but takes loss: Houston SP Wandy Rodriguez had a ho-hum day on the hill Sunday against Arizona and walked away with a loss. He tossed six innings, allowing four earned runs on seven hits in a 4-3 defeat. He struck out seven and walked three, losing his second straight start.

Rodriguez has received three total runs in support combined in his previous two starts. He went seven one-run innings in his previous start but lost 1-0. He is having a breakout season and has made three decent starts since getting blasted for 10 runs Aug. 14 at Milwaukee. Keep him active in all formats. His next start is scheduled for Saturday against the Phillies.

 

[BadCo]

Texas Rangers at Baltimore Orioles

1. In the month of June, the Rangers ranked last in MLB in batting average, at .225. They improved to .254 in July, 19th in MLB. Since August 1, the team batting average is .275, ninth in baseball.
2. The Rangers' .241 road batting average is second lowest in the AL, ahead of only Kansas City's .237 mark. But Texas leads the American League in home runs per game on the road, at 1.41 (90 homers in 64 games).
3. The Orioles are 4-12 at home vs. the AL West, and have not won a home series vs. any AL West opponent since taking two of three from the Rangers at Camden Yards, August 8-9-10, 2008.
4. Brian Roberts has 49 doubles this season; with one more two-base hit, he will have a third career season of 50 or more. In MLB history, only three players have had at least three seasons with 50 or more doubles: Tris Speaker (five seasons), Paul Waner (three) and Stan Musial (three).
5. In 72 night games this season, Nolan Reimold is hitting .296 with 11 home runs. In 22 day games, Reimold has a .218 batting average and only two homers.
6. Marlon Byrd is hitting .444 (12-for-27) vs. the Orioles in 2009, the fourth highest batting average among all players with at last 25 at-bats vs. the O's.

Notes Applicable For Series Dates: 9/4/2009 thru 9/6/2009

 

[BadCo]

Minnesota Twins at Cleveland Indians

1. The Twins and Indians have split their 12 meetings this season, although Cleveland has won four of the last five.
2. Minnesota is just 1-53 this season when trailing after eight innings. Only Washington (0-73) has a worse record when trailing entering the ninth inning.
3. Cleveland has allowed just 29 home runs to lead off an inning this season, fewest among A.L. clubs.
4. Alexi Casilla is just 1-for-18 (.056) over his last six games.
5. Joe Mauer has destroyed Cleveland pitching this season, going 19-for-35 (.543).
6. Jamey Carroll is batting .356 with runners in scoring position this season. Prior to 2009, he was a career .248 hitter with RISP.

Notes Applicable For Series Dates: 9/4/2009 thru 9/6/2009

 

[BadCo]

Detroit Tigers at Tampa Bay Rays

1. Tampa Bay has won six of its last seven home games against Detroit.
2. Detroit is 62-0 this season when leading after eight innings. They are one of three clubs (Royals, Reds) yet to lose when leading entering the ninth inning.
3. The Rays have the fifth most difficult remaining schedule among A.L. teams (.523 opponent win %).Compare that to the remaining schedules of the two teams they are chasing for the Wild Card -- Boston (.479 opponent win %) and Texas (.500 opponent win %).
4. Brandon Inge is mired in a 1-for-17 (.059) slump.
5. Justin Verlander is undefeated (3-0) in five career starts against Tampa Bay.
6. Gregg Zaun is batting .379 (11-for-29) over his current seven-game hitting streak.

Notes Applicable For Series Dates: 9/4/2009 thru 9/6/2009

 

[BadCo]

Los Angeles Angels at Kansas City Royals

1. The Angels are 6-0 against the Royals this season, outscoring them 36-17 in these contests.
2. The Angels have not gotten off to a good start to this month, scoring just one run in the two games while batting a measly .167.
3. Kansas City is batting .272 in home games this season, as opposed to just .237 on the road.
4. Jered Weaver needs one more win to set a new career high. He also won 13 games in 2007.
5. Chone Figgins has reached base via a hit, walk or HBP in 24 straight games. That is the second-longest active streak in the majors (Ichiro -- 25 games).
6. David DeJesus is batting .365 (19-for-52) with nine runs batted in over his last 12 games.

Notes Applicable For Series Dates: 9/4/2009 thru 9/4/2009

 

[BadCo]

Boston Red Sox at Chicago White Sox

1. Boston has won three of the four games between these clubs so far this season. The Red Sox have also won six of the last eight meetings played at Chicago's home park.
2. The Red Sox are averaging 7.2 runs per game over their last six road contests (5-1).
3. The White Sox have a 2.03 team ERA so far this month.
4. Jason Bay needs four runs batted in to reach 100 for the fourth time in the last five seasons.
5. Paul Byrd is making just his second appearance of the season for Boston. He is 4-1 all-time on the road against the White Sox.
6. Paul Konerko is batting .353 (12-for-34) over his last 10 games.

Notes Applicable For Series Dates: 9/4/2009 thru 9/5/2009

 

[BadCo]

Florida Marlins at Washington Nationals

1. The Marlins have won nine out of 12 against the Nationals this season. All four series between these teams have been sweeps.
2. The Nationals have hit only .199 and averaged 1.5 runs per game in the six games since Nyjer Morgan was put on the DL.
3. Adam Dunn has a hit in each of his last seven games against the Marlins.
4. Marlins starters have a 5.06 ERA in the last 12 road games.
5. Hanley Ramirez has hit .388 with 14 RBI in his 12 games against the Nationals this season.
6. The Marlins are 4-1 in Sean West's last five starts. West has posted a 2.77 ERA in those five starts.

 

[BadCo]

St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates

1. The Pirates and Cardinals have split their 14 games played at PNC Park over the last two seasons. Not only has each team won seven times, but each team has also scored 74 runs in those 14 games.
2. The Pirates went 7-2 and their pitchers posted a 2.85 ERA on their last homestand.
3. Garrett Jones has hit safely in eight of his last nine games; he has four home runs and six RBI in those nine games.
4. The Cardinals' 30-14 record since the All-Star Break is the best in the National League.
5. Albert Pujols' .381 batting average at PNC Park is the highest by any visiting player in the park's history (minimum 100 PA).
6. Adam Wainwright has allowed only nine runs since the All-Star Break (1.29 ERA). He has also struck out 49 batters and walked only nine since the break.

Notes Applicable For Series Dates: 9/4/2009 thru 9/6/2009

 

[BadCo]

Chicago Cubs at New York Mets

1. The Cubs have won six of their last nine meetings with the Mets.
2. The Mets rank second in the NL with a .279 batting average since August 1.
3. Luis Castillo is hitting .359 at home this season -- a .104 increase from his .255 batting average on the road.
4. The Cubs are 6-11 on their last two road trips with an average of only 3.4 runs scored per game.
5. Aramis Ramirez is hitting .349 with nine RBI in his last 11 games.
6. Carlos Zambrano has pitched less than five innings in each of his last two starts against the Mets. In those last two starts combined, he has pitched 8.0 innings with a 9.00 ERA and .378 opponent batting average.

Notes Applicable For Series Dates: 9/4/2009 thru 9/6/2009

 

[BadCo]

Cincinnati Reds at Atlanta Braves

1. The Reds and Braves have split their six meetings this season.
2. Cincinnati has won nine of its last 11 games, batting .296 as a team over this stretch.
3. The Braves and Angels are the only teams who have not hit a grand slam this season.
4. Despite posting a stellar 2.84 ERA, Bronson Arroyo is just 1-4 with four no decisions in his last eight starts.
5. Peter Moylan hasn't allowed a home run since March 20, 2008. His streak of 271 batters faced without giving up a homer is the longest active one in the majors.
6. Chipper Jones is hitting just .163 (8-for-49) with eight runs batted in over his last 15 games.

Notes Applicable For Series Dates: 9/4/2009 thru 9/6/2009

 

[BadCo]

San Francisco Giants at Milwaukee Brewers

1. The Brewers and Giants have split their six games this season even though the Giants have outscored the Brewers 33-23 and outhit them 61-41.
2. The Brewers have hit .291 and averaged 6.5 runs per game in their last 12 home games.
3. Ryan Braun is 9-for-23 (.391) with four doubles against the Giants this season.
4. Giants starters have a 1.66 ERA and .211 opponent batting average in the last six games.
5. Eugenio Velez has 16 multi-hit games since July 28 -- tied for second most in the NL.
6. Barry Zito is 4-2 with a 1.92 ERA since the All-Star Break -- only Adam Wainwright (1.29) and Cliff Lee (1.67) have been better (minimum 46 IP).

Notes Applicable For Series Dates: 9/4/2009 thru 9/6/2009

 

[BadCo]

Philadelphia Phillies at Houston Astros

1. Philadelphia and Houston have not played each other this season. The Phillies won four of the seven meetings in 2008.
2. Philadelphia has 36 come from behind wins this season, which is tied with the Marlins for the most in the N.L.
3. The Astros return home after a 2-7 road trip in which they managed to score just 22 runs (2.4/game).
4. Since July 1, Cliff Lee is 8-3 with a 2.06 ERA. This will be his first career appearance against the Astros.
5. Ryan Howard is batting just .199 against left handers this season.
6. Roy Oswalt's 14 no decisions are tied with Randy Wolf for the most in the majors this season.

Notes Applicable For Series Dates: 9/4/2009 thru 9/7/2009

 

[BadCo]

Arizona Diamondbacks at Colorado Rockies

1. The Diamondbacks have won 10 out of their last 15 games against the Rockies in Coors Field.
2. The Rockies have hit .296 and averaged 6.0 runs per game at home since the All-Star Break.
3. Todd Helton is hitting .500 (12/24) with two home runs during his current seven-game hitting streak.
4. The Diamondbacks' bullpen has a 2.12 ERA and .168 opponent batting average over the last 13 games.
5. Stephen Drew has hit .385 (42/109) with seven home runs and 20 RBI against the Rockies over the last two seasons.
6. In his two seasons with Arizona, Dan Haren in 5-1 with a 2.30 ERA against the Rockies.

Notes Applicable For Series Dates: 9/4/2009 thru 9/6/2009

 

[BadCo]

San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers

1. The Dodgers are 11-4 against the Padres at Dodger Stadium over the last two seasons.
2. The Dodgers have averaged only 3.1 runs per game in their last 16 home games (7-9).
3. Andre Ethier leads the league with 45 RBI against the NL West this season, and Matt Kemp is second with 38.
4. Clayton Kershaw has allowed only 15 earned runs in 46.1 innings over his last eight starts (2.91 ERA), but the Dodgers have only scored 10 runs in support of Kershaw in those starts (1.94 RS/9).
5. The Padres' offense has hit .282 and averaged 5.4 runs per game while their pitchers have posted a 3.40 ERA in the last nine games (7-2).
6. Will Venable is hitting .327 (16/49) with six doubles and seven RBI in his last 12 games.

Notes Applicable For Series Dates: 9/4/2009 thru 9/6/2009