Inter league extravaganza! This should be a fun one. I found a couple match-ups with raw potential and back-story for days. Enjoy the show, these are my games of the week in the Major Leagues.
Probably Starters: Josh Beckett (R) vs. Homer Bailey (R)
Records/Recent Action: The Red Sox are now solely on top of the AL, with a league best record of 40-26. They are +1101 on the season money line, 29-32-5 O/U, and an amazing 26-6 at home. On the road, they are just 14-20. The Sox have won 8 of their last 10 including 3 straight series wins over Baltimore, Tampa Bay, and Seattle. They swept Tampa. The Sox rank 4th in Runs per game, 2nd in team batting average, and 5th in homeruns. The Reds have lost 5 of their last 7 to drop below .500 yet again.
Significance: Josh Beckett goes heads up against one of the top pitching prospects in the game, a guy with a sharp curveball in Homer Bailey. Bailey hasn’t had his elite prospect status transfer to the major league level, but many think he’s close and it’s just a matter of time. Could this be a match up of Josh Beckett versus a kid who many think could become the next Josh Beckett? Tough to say; Bailey hasn’t even been better than the two hurlers on his own team. Voloquez has been lights out, and Johnny Cueto has had bouts of dominance. Becks hasn’t been as dominant this year, as his ERA sits just over 4. This game also boasts two teams that love the long ball, and I wouldn’t be surprised, if Beckett and Bailey aren’t on their game, that this game has a lot of fireworks. Should be a good one either way.
Hot Bats: Manny Ramirex leads the team with 14 HRs and 47 RBI, and sits second with a .302 batting average. J.D. Drew leads the team with a .318 average after a very hot last couple of weeks. Jacoby Ellsbury has 28 stolen bases, leading most humans. Rookie Jay Bruce is absolutely on fire, but he doesn’t qualify because of his low at bat totals. Adam Dunn leads the team with 16 HRs after he started very slow. Rookie 1st Baseman Joey Votto leads the team with a .276 batting average. Icky.
Probably Starters: Ricky Nolasco (R) vs. Edwin Jackson (R)
Records/Recent Action: The Marlins are 34-28 and up +1189 units on the season. They are 20-13 at home and 14-15 on the roads. They have a 37-25 run line record and a consistent ability to finish over the total, going 38-20-4 O/U this season. After losing 7 of 10 in three series against the Mets, Phillies, and Braves - they Marlins finally won a series, taking out Cincinnati in Florida. They are just 5-8 over their last 13 games, and for the first time all season, 2nd in the NL East. The Rays are 5-5 in their last 10 games, finally falling behind the Red Sox again after getting swept in Boston last week. They are 37-26 on the season with a money line of +1117. They are 24-10 at home and 13-16 on the road. The Rays have finished under the total 37 times this season, and own and O/U record of 25-37-1.
Significance: Nobody in their right mind would have picked either of these teams to be leading any sort of race to the playoffs, especially a Marlins team that saw their staff ace and best hitter head to Detroit for some minor league prospects. But, with more than a third of the season over and done with, these two teams would be right in the wild card race. With two of the most potent lineups in baseball, and a plethora of young players trying to make a name for themselves, the Rays and Marlins are what baseball is all about. Their young players are going out there and proving the doubters wrong. Now they meat each other in an instate match-up that is bound to impress. This may not be Yankees/Mets, but it should be one heck of a series, especially if the Rays start hitting the ball again.
Hot Bats: It’s actually Dan Uggla, not Hanley Ramirez, whom leads the Marlins in most offensive categories. His 18 HRs, .310 average, and 1.048 OPS are all team highs, and all right up there on the National League leaderboard. After a hot end to May and a nice beginning to June, B.J. Upton leads the Rays with a .301 batting average and 20 stolen bases. His 37 RBI also lead the team. Erik Hinske’s 11 HRs tie him with Carlos Pena for the team lead.
