MLB Weekend Cheat Sheet
The MLB All Star game is on the history books as the American League extended it’s mastery over the National League with a 4-3 victory, improving its mark to 12-0-1 the last thirteen meetings in this event.
Interestingly, history reminds us that the first set of games immediately following the All Star break generally do not play to form.
Perhaps it’s a case of the players re-acclimating themselves to the daily grind, or it’s momentum – good or bad – that came to a halt. Whatever the case, it’s best to be cautious this first weekend back.
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That being the case, it might serve one well to look to ‘fade’ the best and worst trendsetters from the first half of the campaign frmm this point forward.
According the Covers.com website, the top two money earners the first half of the season were the Los Angeles Dodgers ($1937) and the (Los Angeles Angels ($1224). The biggest money burners have been the Washington Nationals (-$2969) and the Cleveland Indians (-$2329).
The best home teams were the San Francisco Giants ($1363) and the Detroit Tigers ($1085). The worst home efforts were turned in by the Arizona Diamondbacks (-$1615) and the Cleveland Indians (-$1277). The Philadelphia Phillies ($1401) and the Los Angeles Dodgers ($1057) were road superior while the worst travelers have been the Washington Nationals (-$1989) and the San Diego Padres (-$1281).
On the pitching front, Los Angeles Angels’ Matt Palmer ($1064) and Boston Red Sox’ Tim Wakefield ($922) have been the best at making deposits while Colorado Rockies’ Ubaldo Jimenez (-$733) and Kansas City Royals’ Gil Meche (-$708) have set the pace on the opposite end.
Our best guess is that the teams and pitchers named above will likely come ‘back to the norm’ as opposed to continuing on their current pace throughout the second-half of the season ahead. Keep an eye on them and judge for yourself.
With that we’ll play cautious and take a look the top two series on tap in both circuits this weekend. Remember, all results are within the series and all pitcher records are ‘team starts’ (the team’s record in games in which the pitcher starts) versus this opponent. Enjoy the weekend.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Philadelphia Phillies at Florida Marlins
Most Recent Series Result: Phillies 6-2 last 8 games (4-2 this season)
Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Phillies 5-0 last 5 games (3-0 this season) away
Key Day/Month Stat: Phillies 17-4 Sundays
Best Arm in the Series: Phillies’ Blanton 3-0 3.16 ERA career
Worst Arm in the Series: Phillies’ Hamels 0-4 3.81 ERA away career
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Detroit Tigers at New York Yankees
Most Recent Series Result: Yankees 4-1 last 5 games
Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Tigers 3-0 last 3 games away
Key Day/Month Stat: Yankees 14-4 Fridays; Tigers 5-12 away Fridays
Best Arm in the Series: Tigers’ Verlander 5-1 4.98 ERA career starts; Yankees’ Pettite 5-1 2.62 ERA last 5 home
Worst Arm in the Series: Tigers’ Jackson 0-4 7.05 ERA last 4 starts
Note: Marc Lawrence is a 30-year veteran handicapper. He finished No.1 in the nation (88-63 +25.7 Net Units) in MLB during the 2007 season as documented by Sports Watch in Las Vegas.
As always your comments are welcome below!!
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