Weekend Baseball Preview

Posted on July 16, 2009 | 12:23 AM ET Filed under:

A foursome of American League playoff hopefuls kick off their second halves of the regular season Friday, as the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees start a three-game series in the Bronx, and the Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers begin a three-game set in Arlington.

Detroit won four of its last five games going into the All-Star break, and enters the second half with a 3.5-game lead over the second-place Chicago White Sox in the American League's Central  Division.

New York, meanwhile, went into the break on a three-game losing streak, and starts the second half in second place in the AL East, three games behind the first-place Boston Red Sox.

The Detroiters will throw rookie lefty Luke French (1-0, 1.93, 1.29 WHIP) at the Pinstripes Friday (7 ET), Justin Verlander (10-4, 3.38, 1.19) Saturday (1 ET) and Edwin Jackson (7-4, 2.52, 1.06) Sunday, while New York will counter with AJ Burnett (8-4, 3.77, 1.38), CC Sabathia (8-6, 3.86, 1.15) and Joba Chamberlain (4-2, 4.25, 1.56).

The Tigers are a combined 24-15 when French, Verlander, and Jackson start this season. And while the totals are 11-10 in games started by French and Verlander, they're 4-12 when Jackson starts.

The Yankees are 11-6 this season when both Burnett and Chamberlain start games, but only 9-10 when Sabathia hits the hill. And while the totals are a combined 22-13 when Joba and CC start, they're 6-10 when Burnett takes the pill. 

The over/unders are 23-17-2 in games played at the new Yankee Stadium this year, which are averaging a ML-high 11.1 total runs.

Detroit may be nine games over .500 this season, but they're five games under .500, 21-26, on the road.

The Twins went into the break having lost four of their last six games, and go into the second half in third place in the AL Central, four games back of first-place Detroit.

The Rangers lost three of their last four games going into the break, and enter the second half in second place in the AL West, a game and a half back of the first-place Los Angeles Angels.

Minnesota will send Glen Perkins (4-5, 4.71, 1.33) to the mound Friday (8 ET), Scott Baker (7-7, 5.42, 1.21) Saturday (8 ET) and Francisco Liriano (4-9, 5.47, 1.49) Sunday (8 ET), while Texas will go with Vicente Padilla (7-4, 4.53, 1.51), Scott Feldman (8-2, 3.83, 1.18), and Tommy Hunter (1-1, 2.35, 1.30).

The Twins are a combined 22-26 when Perkins, Baker, and Liriano start games this season. And while the O/Us are 20-14 when Baker and Liriano start, they're 5-8 when Perkins goes.

The Rangers are a collective 23-11 when Padilla, Feldman, and Hunter start this year. And the totals are a combined 9-25 when those three hit the hill.

The Twins are a game over .500 on the season, but seven games under break-even, 17-24, on the road.

The Rangers, meanwhile, are nine games over .500 overall, and 11 games over break-even at home, at 28-17.

The totals are 16–27-2 in games played at Rangers Ballpark this year, despite their averaging 10 runs per, ninth-most among all ML ballparks.

As of Thursday morning, Oddsmaker.com is listing Detroit at -200 to win the AL Central this year, at +800 to win the AL pennant, and at +1,200 to win the World Series.

The Yanks are getting +150 to win the AL East this year, +400 to win the pennant, and +400 to win the Series.

Minnesota is being offered at +200 to win the AL Central, +1,500 to win the AL, and +4,000 to win the Series.

And Texas is listed at +200 at Oddsmaker.com to win the AL West this year, +2,000 to win the American League pennant, and +2,500 to win the World Series.


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