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FINN THU NL CENTRAL HI-ROLLER Game: (905) Pittsburgh Pirates at (906) St. Louis Cardinals Date/Time: May 9 2019 7:45 PM EDT Betting Line Provider: Westgate Play Rating: 3% Play: Pittsburgh Pirates +130
PLAY: Pittsburgh Pirates +130 (good to +110)
3% game rating LIST PITCHERS: Musgrove and Wacha (905) Pittsburgh Pirates at (906) St. Louis Cardinals
The Cardinals starting rotation has arrived in the funk that was inevitable. And with free agent Goldy slumping the Redbirds are trending in the wrong direction in argubaly the most competitive division in the bigs.
The combination of Musgrove not having his best stuff and receiving some poorly timed fielding mistakes in his last turn against the A's resulted in his first poor outing of the season. The Bucs right-hander allowed 7 runs (five earned) -- on just 6 hits - across only 2.2 innings. The 5 earned runs Musgrove surrendered nearly matched the total number of earned runs (6) he had surrendered the entire 2019 season.
Like any house of cards or a train of dominoes one flaw or mistake can make a situation messy... especially in baseball. Jung Ho Kang committed a pair of throwing errors in the 2nd inning that lead to 5 runs -- and that was Musgrove's undoing last week.
Joe Musgrove (1-3, 2.63 ERA) comes into tonight's start with solid xFIP (4.14) and his turn tonight is favorable against a lineup that scored one run in their three-game set versus the Phillies and rotation and bullpen have returned to the orbit they live in.
In Wacha’s second start since returning from the injured list, he allowed four earned runs in five innings while striking out four. Wacha is ridiculously inconsistent with his command. Furthermore he is heavily reliant upon having strike zone that is pitcher-friendly. To Wacha’s defense he has not had the opportunity to find a routine due to injuries and the lack of work from the mound, especially recently, has comprised his command.
Note that in Wacha's starts this season he is only throwing 40 percent of his pitches for strikes. That rate of balls to strikes will not allow him to be successful. The Pirates are not a lineup as a whole that are free swinging and have an above average chase rate outside the strike zone. Pittsburgh, has struck out less than any of their National League brethren. Wacha's walk rate is skewed to some degree with two of his starts resulting in 12 of his 21 bases on balls this season. He comes into tonight’s event with a 6.03 BB/9 -- evidence that he is not 100 percent and has yet establish a consistent release point -- due to the injuries and lack of routine. -
Wacha and the Cardinals are a serious fade right now. This until the middle of their lineup begins squaring the ball up and the less than average starting rotation gets healthy.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES +130
FINN THU NITE NL TOP TOTAL Game: (907) Atlanta Braves at (908) Arizona Diamondbacks Date/Time: May 9 2019 9:40 PM EDT Betting Line Provider: Pinnacle Play Rating: 4% Play: Total Under 8.5 (-104)
PLAY: Under the Total of 8.5 runs (good to 8)
4% game rating LIST PITCHERS: Soroka and Weaver
(907) Atlanta Braves at (908) Arizona Diamondbacks
You would think Soroka, now healthy, with a versatile and consistent pattern of outings, would be receiving more news and notes from the media, both nationally and via portals. Not that headlines are what Soroka wants or needs, but the lack of coverage of what he has accomplished with the young core of players on this club is a surprise.
Each start the Braves right-hander just keeps getting stronger. His velocity has increased, he is relying on his sinker more than his four-seam fastball, and the results have seen a heavy increase in his ground ball to fly ball ratios. The 21-year-old rookie made his season debut versus Arizona on April 18, giving up one run on four hits, over five innings of work.
Put a right-hander on the mound against the Braves, one that can induce ground balls, and you have a recipe that offers an opportunity contain their offense. Luke Weaver went five innings in his last start against Atlanta, striking out nine, and doing so in a season in which he is inducing ground balls at a 70% clip.
Weaver is coming off a seven inning work of art. The right-hander pitched to one-run while striking out eight while resulting in a 9-2 win over Colorado.
Game: (907) Atlanta Braves at (908) Arizona Diamondbacks Date/Time: May 9 2019 9:40 PM EDT Betting Line Provider: William Hill Play Rating: 3% Play: Atlanta Braves -110
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