Big Al McMordie - What's Wrong With....
Each baseball
season expectations are strong for
most teams, at least as far as improvement.
Then the season starts. Suddenly, things
don’t go quite
according to plan. Some teams play better
than expected, others stumble through
hitting slumps or injuries. Fortunately,
it’s only May, so there is plenty
of time to get things straightened out.
Here’s a look at several disappointing
teams.
Mets: This
weekend the Mets had a 12-6 win over
the Reds, the first win at home for
new ace Johan Santana. The first win?
It was his only third home start of
the season. Still, it’s a bit
surprising to see one of the best pitchers
in baseball, on a team loaded with
talent, not picking up a home win until
6+ weeks into the season.
There are big
names on this team, Santana, Moises Alou,
Jose Reyes, David Wright, Carlos Delgado
and Carlos Beltran. So why are they roughly
a .500 team? The team batting average
and runs scored are in the middle of
the pack in the NL. Beltran is hitting
.233, Delgado .234, and Reyes .246. After
beginning the day with a .216 average,
Delgado had three hits from the No. 7
spot in the order, missing the cycle
by a triple. Delgado is 10-for-27 (.370)
during his hitting streak, so there are
some good signs.
Still,
this team should be better and has
a lot to prove. Last September they
had a collapse for the ages in blowing
the division to the Phillies, an albatross
that is still around their necks. On
a recent road trip, the manager admitted
they were glad to get away from hostile
Shea, as fans had been ripping some of
the players.
Just as soon as they won that 12-6 game for Santana at home, they
played the second game of a doubleheader, a 7-1 loss as the boos returned to
Shea Stadium. Cincy starter Bronson Arroyo allowed only one run. In his previous
16 2/3 innings, the right-hander surrendered 23 runs on 31 hits! (Booooooo....) At
least their pitching is ranked 5th in the NL, a key to winning over the long
haul. But watch this team at home carefully if the boos begin to wear on the
players and coaches.
Yankees: Unlike
the Mets, the Yankee problems are more
obvious. The offense has struggled lately
because of the absence of Alex Rodriguez
and Jorge Posada, especially against
lefties. Last week they lost again to
Kenny Rogers and Cliff Lee, a pair of
southpaws. Lee shut them out 3-0. The
offensive problems are also noticeable
in a remarkable 25-11 start under the
total.
And the pitching
has been worse. GM Brian Cashman had
a chance to land Santana over the winter,
but refused to part with top prospects
Philip Hughes and Ian Kennedy. Big mistake.
Check
out our all new Baseball Betting Forums
@ CappersPicks.com
Hughes has a
9.00 ERA and an 0-4 record, while Kennedy
is a little better....with an 8.37 ERA!
The two are a combined 0-6. If Cashman
convinced the owners to hang onto these
guys instead of dealing for Santana,
he’ll likely be gone.
Kei Igawa was
just brought up to fill some starting
holes and has been worse, with an 18.00
ERA, cementing the notion that he has
been a disastrous waste of $46 million.
Igawa gave up six runs and 11 hits in
three-plus innings in a 6-5 loss Friday
night, and is getting another chance!
If they can ever get their power offense
back healthy, the Yankees might be a
good shot over the total, but until now
the facts remain they are an under machine.
Padres: Hard
to believe the last place Padres won
89 games last season. The pitching
is in the middle of the pack, while
the offense is last in the NL. Playing
in such a huge park is going to hurt
their offense, so it’s
up to the pitching to carry the day.
Notice that for bettors it’s still
a boon: San Diego is 13-4 under the total
at home.
Rockies: The
good news is the defending NL champions
recently won 3 in a row. The bad news
is they’ve
been mostly bad all season. How did this
team win the pennant? Last year they
were tops in the NL in fielding. This
year: dead last. They are 11th in the
16-team NL in runs scored and 14th in
pitching.
Young star
SS Troy Tulowitzki was benched earlier
in the season, and then put on the disabled
list last week. At the time of his benching,
he told the Denver Post, “It’s
not a work day, I am being benched. It’s
up to me to get better.” Clint Barmes,
the team’s hottest hitter, is starting
at shortstop with Jeff Baker getting the
nod at second base. Tulowitzki is struggling
this season, hitting just .152 in 105 at-bats.
Manager Clint Hurdle didn’t rule
out sitting Tulowitzki for an extended
period before he landed on the DL, and
also admitted that he’s considering
batting him down in the order. That magical
22-1 run ended with a 4-game World Series
sweep. It appears the Rockies pact with
the devil ran out, or at the very least,
their good fortune.
Good
luck, as always, Al McMordie.
For
Big Al McMordie's Daily Picks
Click Here...
Since 2005,
Bodog Nation has been keeping customers
and readers up to date on all the latest
happenings in the world of Bodog and the
online gaming and entertainment industry.
Updated daily, the Nation features articles
in six specific areas: Sports, MMA, Wagering
Tips and hints, Casino, Poker, Reality
TV, and the Bodog state of the Nation.
Powered
By: MLB
Gambling Tips |
Cappers Picks is an online sports service
and handicapping tips website, not affiliated with any Online Scamdicappers. 
