Monday's STALKING THE UMPS... and other various stuff...

[CollegeKingRex]

OK boys and girls, ready to rock and roll with Week 2 of the baseball. There are several teams who open their home campaign today, so let's get right to it.

Time to throw on the camo, find a good bush and stalk the UMPS...

Philly's Cole Hamels is a star in the making. He was brilliant in his first start, allowing four hits and one walk over seven shutout innings. He struck out eight. He would have gotten the win, too, but the Phillies' bullpen was unable to hold a two-run lead.

The Mets' John Maine buried the Cardinals for seven innings, allowing one hit, one long fly ball and two walks, while striking out six in a 65-strike, 97-pitch outing Wednesday. Impressively, the Mets have won 11 of his last 13 starts in the regular season.

But the wind will blowing out to center/right center at about 13 mph....

UMP info, I'll come with when it's available...

 

[HUNT]

looking forward to it rexy!

 

[CollegeKingRex]

Cleveland's entire four-game set against Seattle has been snowed out. Amazing. The Mariners opened up at home vs. Oak-Town last week for three through Wednesday. Then Oakland played four in Anaheim and now entertains the Chi Sox in their home opener tonight. By the time the Mariners christen Boston's Opening Day tomorrow, Oakland will have already have played eight games - and Seattle is still stuck at three.

Throw a roof on the JAKE or stop scheduling home games there in April.

 

[CollegeKingRex]

Looper, a career reliever, pitched five shutout innings before fading in the sixth in his first start. For a pitcher still not entirely used to the starting routine, getting ready on the day of the Pirates' home opener could be a challenge... especially if Ian Snell is close to where he was in Houston the other night. Snell was sensational in his first start, racking up a career-high 11 strikeouts in seven superb innings. The 25-year-old right-hander went seven innings and the only walk he allowed was intentional. His slider and curveball were both working, and fastball, which hit 95 on the gun, kept Houston's offense guessing. THe price seems a little cheap here considering the Pirates should have a decent crowd today, have started off 4-2, and have the better bullpen. I am on the Buckos, and looking at UNDER to parlay it with...

 

[CollegeKingRex]

Miller goes today in New York. He's 44-52 to the O/U since the start of 2004 (16-16 last year) and has been a pretty consistent pitcher's ump since coming into the league in 1999. His first game this year yielded 12 runs, and he called less than 59 percent strikes, though...

 

[Satyr]

good stuff CKR, good luck tonight buddy. :shake:

 

[CollegeKingRex]

Sam Holbrook is the UMP in Pittsburgh. He was a solid UNDER guy for a few years but was 19-11 to the 'OVER' last year and is 49-39 O/U since the start of 2004. MLB.com is showing first pitch temperature in Pittsburgh at 34 degrees. Brrr....

 

[CollegeKingRex]

Williams, a Houston native, pitched 4 2/3 innings in his first start for the Astros Wednesday against Pittsburgh, giving up eight hits and five runs, three earned. He also walked two and hit two batters. Having played for the Cardinals for four years, Williams has seen plenty of Chicago, but he's awful against them. He's just 1-6 with a 6.04 ERA in nine appearances at Wrigley, and 3-8 with a 4.65 ERA lifetime against the Flubs. Lilly has thrown a total of six innings against Houston. The southpaw was impressive in Cincinnati five days back, striking out nine and giving up just three hits over seven innings while walking only one.

HOYE is behind the plate. He was 12-8 O/U last year and is 27-22 since the start of 2004. His first game this year was an '8' and it fell '7'...

 

[CollegeKingRex]

Despite a 16-16 record last year, pOncinO(ver) was 53-37 O/U going into this year and is a big-time over guy...

Durbin will make his first start for the Tigers. He's a contact pitcher who tries not to overthrow and make mistakes. He has made 56 starts in his Major League career and will move into long relief once Rogers returns. Cabrera pitched well but lost his season debut Tuesday in Minnesota. He gave up six singles and walked four batters while striking out nine over seven innings and 110 pitches. He's 2-0 for his career against the Tigers, but he has a 6.43 ERA in four starts against them.

OVER play for me.

 

[CollegeKingRex]

Francis, who has added a sinker this season, is hoping for more groundouts after finishing with four grounders, nine flyballs and four strikeouts against the D-Backs in a season-opening start where he got no decision. Could be imperative today, as the ball flies much better at Dodger Stadium than it does at night, so fly balls are much more dangerous. Francis got a no-decision in his only start vs. the Dodgers in 2006, allowing one run on six hits over 7 1/3 innings.

Schmidt did just enough to get a win in his Dodgers debut in Milwaukee. He made it through only five innings, needing 95 pitches, and really ran his pitch count up by walking the bases loaded with two out in the fifth. It will be interesting to see who the UMP is here, as I have a slight lean to the OVER...

Back in a bit...

 

[YesSir]

Miller goes today in New York. He's 44-52 to the O/U since the start of 2004 (16-16 last year) and has been a pretty consistent pitcher's ump since coming into the league in 1999. His first game this year yielded 12 runs, and he called less than 59 percent strikes, though...

unbelievable that they would schedule early April games here. We have the Lake effect coming in all the time...If it is cold, as it is, it will always snow. Why would they play in NY, CHI, CLE, Pitt, or any other city like this? Why not let all these teams start with a week or so road trip (As did the Mets). It might not help all the problems BUT the chance will be much slimmer in Mid April, than Early.


Once again, great info and BOL with your plays.

 

[B.A.R.]

Weird MLB scheduling Yes Sir. Generally the Tigers open up with a 6-9 game road trip to start the season b4 the home opener. You gotta be smart in scheduling these games. Have fun trying to find time to take care of that 4 game set. They are not division opponents so they don' play again at the Jake this year...wow

 

[CollegeKingRex]

Emmel in LA. Nothing to talk me out of an OVER bet there.... daytime, check the O/U splits out there as compared to nighttime... and Francis gave up a lot of flyballs last time while Schmidt struggled with his control in Milwaukee... runs, runs, runs...

 

[Smokedawg]

whoever this homeplate ump is in the Philly-NYM game is, hes terrible

his strike zone is all over the place...calling strikes at the ankles and balls that are right there

 

[CollegeKingRex]

Miller - yes, he strugged today - he was almost as bad as Philly's offense with men in scoring position and their bullpen, too...


NOTES from Florida... This is for Tuesday's game down there...

OVERNIGHT PITCHING CHANGE
GAME #953-954
FLORIDA - Rick Vanden Hurk (R) for Ricky Nolasco (R)

 

[CollegeKingRex]

Sorry I missed this earlier... Was taking a nap (it was a long weekend with the Masters and all)...

Minnesota UMPS:
HP: Greg Gibson.
1B: Tony Randazzo.
2B: Charlie Reliford.
3B: Larry Vanover.


Toronto UMPS:
HP: Paul Nauert.
1B: Tom Hallion.
2B: Mike Everitt.
3B: Gerry Davis.
Weather: 68 degrees, roof closed.

Florida UMPS:
HP: Kerwin Danley
1B: DOUG EDDINGS
2B: Dana DeMuth
3B: Derryl Cousins

WEATHER: 77 Degrees, partly cloudy
WIND: 13 mph, in from right

This won't help us now but for tomorrow the info will be there... I'll be in and out the rest of the night... If something juicy comes across, I'll try to get out of the bushes and in here to help out..

 

[CollegeKingRex]

Tampa at Texas...

Umpires: HP: Larry Young.
1B: Angel Hernandez.
2B: Ted Barrett.
3B: Mark Carlson.
Weather: 54 degrees, overcast.
Wind: 10 mph, R to L.

Young is a decidedly OVER UMP.

Jackson will make his first start of the season for the Rays. He has a big fastball and all sorts of potential, but has lacked command and confidence in the past. Jackson made one start against the Rangers in 2006 and allowed five earned runs in seven innings. For Texas, McCarthy makes his first home start. He is 0-2 with an 11.25 ERA in his career against the Devil Rays. They and the Rangers are the only two teams that have beaten him twice in his short career. McCarthy lost his first start of the season to the Angels on Thursday, allowing five runs, three earned, in six innings in a 5-2 loss.

I took a stab at the 'OVER' in this one.

GL!

 

[Timh]

GL the rest of the way Rex! I played the Mets earlier today and really didn't see much else I liked.