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15-10 YTD
Boston Red Sox +110 @ NY Yankees
We have game #2 in this classic matchup where we have the Sox ace Schilling going against the number 2 guy for the Yanks, who should be #1 with the way he is pitching so far this season. Both pitchers are 5-1 this season. Both with a similar OBP (.258) and WHIP (0.98-0.99), however, Mussina has been a little cheaper with the runs with a 2.35 ERA vs Schilling’s 3.02 ERA. The word around here is that Ramirez is ok and should play tonight. And Harris will be in the lineup in favor of Pena, which means Nixon will be at right and Harris will play center.
After an awesome start to the season, Schill has been a little shaky over his last few starts. Still awesome compared to most but shaky compared to what we expect of him. Over his last 3 starts, he has given up 11 ERs and twice he’s given 8+ hits in a game. However, the Sox were 2-1 in that stretch. Like I said, we have high expectations in Boston. He has faced the Yanks 8 times as a member of the Sox. The Sox were 5-3 in those starts. He averaged about 6-7 innings per start and got beat up in 3 starts and the other 5 starts he held the Yanks to 2 runs or less. In 4 career starts at Yankees stadium, he held them to 2 runs or less and 5 hits or under in 3 of those starts. He can be beat there but he has shown that he’s done well against the Yanks for often than not. The true test for him tonight will be how he fares against the bottom half of the Yanks lineup as Posada, Cano, and Williams all have good numbers against him. He should be ok with the top half of the order as Jeter, Giambi, and ARod all bat .200 or lower against him and all three are struggling as of late as they are batting .250 or lower in their last 7 games.
Mussina has been outstanding thus far in the season. He has not given up more than 3 ERs in any of his starts. He also has only given up 7 hits or less in each game. In his last 4 starts, he’s held the opponent to 2 runs or less and in 3 of those games he’s held them to only 1 run. Against Boston, the Yanks are 4-6 in Mussina last 10 starts against them. In those games, he only went 7 innings once and has been averaging about 5-6 innings per game. In his last 3 starts against Boston, he gave up 4+ ERs in each of those games. In his last 3 starts at Yankees stadium against Boston, he has given up 5 and 4 ERs in 2 of those starts. Just like Schill, the latter half of the lineup has good numbers against him. Lowell, who is red hot lately is batting .500 against him and Harris is batting .385 against him. Of the guys in the lineup tonight, 7 of the 9 are on fire batting well over .300 ball in their last 7 games and oddly enough the 2 that are struggling are big Papi and Varitek.
I see Schill going 7 tonight and Moose going 6. If things go the Sox way, the perfect scenario for them would be Schill to Timlin to Papelbon as that is their best bridge to closer combination. If Schill gets into trouble, they also have Taveras available which concerns me a little but hopefully we don’t need his services tonight.
The Yanks have 3 middle relievers available tonight and they would like to have a nice bridge Rivera tonight. They have Proctor who has been really good in his last 3 appearances not giving up any runs. They also have Myers and Farnsworth both combined has given up 4 ERs in their last 5 innings of relief.
I am in no way saying that this is a no-brainer win for either team, but not often you get a coin flip price for either of these two teams and these two starters. I give the edge to Boston with a very slightly better pen and their bats have been of fire lately scoring 24 runs in their last 2 games and the Yanks only mustering 7 hits total with 3 runs last night.
Boston Red Sox +110 @ NY Yankees
We have game #2 in this classic matchup where we have the Sox ace Schilling going against the number 2 guy for the Yanks, who should be #1 with the way he is pitching so far this season. Both pitchers are 5-1 this season. Both with a similar OBP (.258) and WHIP (0.98-0.99), however, Mussina has been a little cheaper with the runs with a 2.35 ERA vs Schilling’s 3.02 ERA. The word around here is that Ramirez is ok and should play tonight. And Harris will be in the lineup in favor of Pena, which means Nixon will be at right and Harris will play center.
After an awesome start to the season, Schill has been a little shaky over his last few starts. Still awesome compared to most but shaky compared to what we expect of him. Over his last 3 starts, he has given up 11 ERs and twice he’s given 8+ hits in a game. However, the Sox were 2-1 in that stretch. Like I said, we have high expectations in Boston. He has faced the Yanks 8 times as a member of the Sox. The Sox were 5-3 in those starts. He averaged about 6-7 innings per start and got beat up in 3 starts and the other 5 starts he held the Yanks to 2 runs or less. In 4 career starts at Yankees stadium, he held them to 2 runs or less and 5 hits or under in 3 of those starts. He can be beat there but he has shown that he’s done well against the Yanks for often than not. The true test for him tonight will be how he fares against the bottom half of the Yanks lineup as Posada, Cano, and Williams all have good numbers against him. He should be ok with the top half of the order as Jeter, Giambi, and ARod all bat .200 or lower against him and all three are struggling as of late as they are batting .250 or lower in their last 7 games.
Mussina has been outstanding thus far in the season. He has not given up more than 3 ERs in any of his starts. He also has only given up 7 hits or less in each game. In his last 4 starts, he’s held the opponent to 2 runs or less and in 3 of those games he’s held them to only 1 run. Against Boston, the Yanks are 4-6 in Mussina last 10 starts against them. In those games, he only went 7 innings once and has been averaging about 5-6 innings per game. In his last 3 starts against Boston, he gave up 4+ ERs in each of those games. In his last 3 starts at Yankees stadium against Boston, he has given up 5 and 4 ERs in 2 of those starts. Just like Schill, the latter half of the lineup has good numbers against him. Lowell, who is red hot lately is batting .500 against him and Harris is batting .385 against him. Of the guys in the lineup tonight, 7 of the 9 are on fire batting well over .300 ball in their last 7 games and oddly enough the 2 that are struggling are big Papi and Varitek.
I see Schill going 7 tonight and Moose going 6. If things go the Sox way, the perfect scenario for them would be Schill to Timlin to Papelbon as that is their best bridge to closer combination. If Schill gets into trouble, they also have Taveras available which concerns me a little but hopefully we don’t need his services tonight.
The Yanks have 3 middle relievers available tonight and they would like to have a nice bridge Rivera tonight. They have Proctor who has been really good in his last 3 appearances not giving up any runs. They also have Myers and Farnsworth both combined has given up 4 ERs in their last 5 innings of relief.
I am in no way saying that this is a no-brainer win for either team, but not often you get a coin flip price for either of these two teams and these two starters. I give the edge to Boston with a very slightly better pen and their bats have been of fire lately scoring 24 runs in their last 2 games and the Yanks only mustering 7 hits total with 3 runs last night.
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