a boo at Wednesday

[EXTRAPOLATER]

Looks like a 6-3 on my "leans" for Tuesday.
3-2 dogs and 3-1 faves.
Mitch Talbot can kiss his baseball career goodbye, methinks.

probables subject to annexation

3 kc@SD
---Apparently Greinke vs Garland. Zack was great first 3 but nsp(nothing special) in last vs LAD. Garland for years and the same this spring. Both clubs overachieving at the plate this spring--KC a little better. Only concern is the Pads playing earlier while KC is playing late Tuesday; game is at 3pm.
Still, looks like a potential bonus at KC +107.
They're up 5-0 early on clev and might pull any key sticks (like they have any) early.

1 pit@Det
---Duke vs Verlander. Pretty funny, really.
(though Duke having a deceptively decent spring)
Tigers hitting this spring while Pitt has been the pits.
Line at -144 reflects all mentioned.

1 bost@Balt
---Lester vs Berken. Jon has been good this spring, particularly in his vs T.O. Berken was trash in his rookie season though decent this spring; his outting should be short and I can't remember the last time the O's had a decent pen. 'Sox used nobody worthwhile out of the pen yesterday so should have the good ones available.
'Sox so-so at the plate this spring. O's about as bad as it gets.
bosox -117 looks majorly happenin'


Might do a few more in a bit.
Gotta see what's happenin' tonight.

 

[EXTRAPOLATER]

1 tor@Phil Cecil-Halladay
---Doc's last start before picking up his first NL win vs whoever the Nats sacrifice on Monday. Should be an interesting game vs the club that drafted him 1st round 15 years ago. Pricey for preseason.

4 ariz-Col Benson-Jimenez
---Got me some -122. Went to -128 and now -124.
Ubaldo's been pretty good in 13.2.
Benson's 1st go, here. Very limited '09 work after missing '07 and '08. Can't expect much from him. Both clubs hitting well but Rox more so (highest OPS this spring at .860 pre-Tuesday). Rox BP should be pretty good this year, too, while the same can't be said for 'Zona.

1 flor-NYM J.Johnson-Maine
---last temptation for me. Johnson was great in '09 and has been tolerable in spring. Maine pretty bad until his last 2, both at St.Lou. Florida just pummeled Nats' Mock & friends while Mets had trouble with "Christ" Carpenter (not my idea--see Mets press release from Tues.). Now +119 from the earlier +114.

other matchups, best as my info shows:
1 wash(Lannan)-Stl(Wainwright) too pricey
1 hou(Wandy)-Atl(Lowe) Astros overachieving. Wandy's been crap through 17 ip.
4 cws(Garcia)-Clev(Huff) 'Sox finally winning some games though not scoring much. Garcia's been crap in 5 (18ip) while Huff is continuing his crappy '09 by being shit through 4+1 (16.2 ip). Chisox +109 or (better yet) pass as Pale Hose hit lefties much better than R in '09 and Injuns couldn't do squat in Tuesday's late affair against a floundering Kyle Davies and with a stacked lineup (for them) to boot.
4 seat(Pauley)-Tex(Harden) Rangers -116, for sure, if Harden was showing even a remote sign of being a good pick-up (crap through 5/17.2 IP so far). Pauley's been decent in 6 relief appearances, somehow, but shouldn't last long. Not too sure about M's pen this year. Neither team hitting great, especially M's who had an off day Tuesday.


P.S.
"at Stl"/@/etc doesn't mean Mizzou, e.g.
Got some true home meaninglessness starting Thursday, including @La(both) and SF.

 

[EXTRAPOLATER]

last word(s) on my Wednesday infatuation...

royals line now up to +114

I saw a KC press release--released circa 12am est--and it confirms the Greinke-Garland matchup. Greinke has been very good this spring, save the last vs LAD, while Garland has been unimpressive, as he has been the past couple of seasons. Jon does own a 17-6 lifetime record vs KC, but most of that was back with the Chisox when they were constantly eating the Royals for lunch, not to mention when Garland still had something. Sure, he's been named the opening day starter but that's simply because Chris Young has followed up his poor '09 campaign with a very mediocre spring and the rest of the staff is not very competitive. Zack has never faced the Padres but has many of the players--Adrian (hitting app.200 this spring), who sat yesterday, has a single in 3 trips vs him, which must have been way back when he was a Ranger. None of the other sticks have great numbers vs. Zack can struggle on turf and excels on grass--Peoria Sports Complex is a grass stadium. Royals O numbers are better, this spring, in average, on-base, slugging, homers, runs scored, etc.--every category save for walks (barely) and SB's. Even the backups are hitting well for KC this spring. Padres are 10-3 vs NL teams but only 7-7 vs AL teams.

Others slated to pitch for KC:
Roman Colon-R very good this spring in 9 for 9.2ip
--faced 2 batters yesterday but should be av.
John Parrish-L very good this spring in 8 for 8.0ip
Josh Rupe-R poor in 7 for 9.0ip (only 2BB vs 9K--pretty meaningless for spring--but only really roughed up in his 1 start)
Blake Wood-R good this spring in 6 for 6.0ip

Only 2 drawbacks for the game (besides being on the "road") appear to be the shorter layoff between games as the Pads played yesterday afternoon while the Royals played late; pro players get this scenario at least once a week in the bigs anyway. The other is that closer Soria won't be av as he pitched each of the past 2 days.

Only thing more confusing than the line is the line movement. Five to one it drops by gametime.

It is a spring game so I'm not betting the farm.


All I need is some inspiration
Before I do somebody some harm
But I feel just like a vegetable
Down here on the farm

 

[EXTRAPOLATER]

Mets are starting Nelson Figueroa as Maine is pushed back until Thursday.
Figueroa had gone 3 RP for 8IP scoreless. Before his last--at Florida--where he was shelled for 7 earnies in 2.2 IP.
Nothing great career-wise and he's past his prime, at 36, in 6 weeks anywho.
Parnell, Mejia, Igarashi, Raul Valdes-L, Takahashi-L and Calero also av behind.
Pinto and McClung set to back-up Johnson.
Marlins down to +113 but still better than a slap in the head with a 2-by-4, methinks.


Just got a call for breaky.
Other breaking stories will have to be forgone.