Re: 9-29-08
David Malinsky
MLB 3* Detroit Tigers $ line +200 @ Chicago White Sox @ 2:05 PM ET - Garcia vs Floyd -
They are getting silly with this one, now taking a fragile team with a vulnerable starting pitcher and making them prohibitive favorite. So with a Detroit team that will come to the ballpark with a lot of pride bringing us what we need, we can turn a modest investment into a major payday. Yes, the White Sox must win this game to stay alive. But they have been in a lost of ?must? situations lately, and have gone just 7-13 in their last 20 games, carrying a five-game losing streak into yesterday?s win over Cleveland. But the pitching matchup was set up awfully well for them in that one, with veteran Mark Buehrle taking on young Bryan Bullington, and that is not the case here. Now it is up to Gavin Floyd to not only get it done under playoff pressure, but to do it on three days rest. He can not carry this price tag. His 3.91 ERA for the full season hides the fact that he has allowed an alarming count of 18 unearned runs, and there are also serious question about how much he has left in the tank. His 200.1 innings are more than he had thrown in his previous four Major League seasons combined, and in working to a 5.40 in September, with an ugly ratio of 42 hits allowed vs. only 18 strikeouts, he showed clear signs of fatigue. Does that turn for Floyd today? We don?t think so. The pressure does not help. Working on three days rest, made even worse in an early afternoon start, does not help. In his only previous start on three days rest he lost 5-2 to Kansas City two starts back, when David DeJesus, Alex Gordon and Kila Ka?aihue all hit home runs. It was the second time in five September starts that he allowed three homers. And now a Tiger team that has seen every pitch in his repertoire by now, and has learned what to do with them (nine runs, eight earned, on 17 hits in just 10 innings over two starts since the All Star break), can get some good swings. They will be of a mind-set to do just that, with this game being a chance to vent some frustrations for a most disappointing campaign. And from a psychological standpoint could they send a better starter than Freddy Garcia to the mound, who will absolutely relish beating Ozzie Guillen and his former teammates in this setting. With the pressure off, a loose Detroit team has some fun this afternoon.
David Malinsky
MLB 3* Detroit Tigers $ line +200 @ Chicago White Sox @ 2:05 PM ET - Garcia vs Floyd -
They are getting silly with this one, now taking a fragile team with a vulnerable starting pitcher and making them prohibitive favorite. So with a Detroit team that will come to the ballpark with a lot of pride bringing us what we need, we can turn a modest investment into a major payday. Yes, the White Sox must win this game to stay alive. But they have been in a lost of ?must? situations lately, and have gone just 7-13 in their last 20 games, carrying a five-game losing streak into yesterday?s win over Cleveland. But the pitching matchup was set up awfully well for them in that one, with veteran Mark Buehrle taking on young Bryan Bullington, and that is not the case here. Now it is up to Gavin Floyd to not only get it done under playoff pressure, but to do it on three days rest. He can not carry this price tag. His 3.91 ERA for the full season hides the fact that he has allowed an alarming count of 18 unearned runs, and there are also serious question about how much he has left in the tank. His 200.1 innings are more than he had thrown in his previous four Major League seasons combined, and in working to a 5.40 in September, with an ugly ratio of 42 hits allowed vs. only 18 strikeouts, he showed clear signs of fatigue. Does that turn for Floyd today? We don?t think so. The pressure does not help. Working on three days rest, made even worse in an early afternoon start, does not help. In his only previous start on three days rest he lost 5-2 to Kansas City two starts back, when David DeJesus, Alex Gordon and Kila Ka?aihue all hit home runs. It was the second time in five September starts that he allowed three homers. And now a Tiger team that has seen every pitch in his repertoire by now, and has learned what to do with them (nine runs, eight earned, on 17 hits in just 10 innings over two starts since the All Star break), can get some good swings. They will be of a mind-set to do just that, with this game being a chance to vent some frustrations for a most disappointing campaign. And from a psychological standpoint could they send a better starter than Freddy Garcia to the mound, who will absolutely relish beating Ozzie Guillen and his former teammates in this setting. With the pressure off, a loose Detroit team has some fun this afternoon.
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