MLB: Top Baseball Weekend Power Trends
MLB: Top Baseball Weekend Power Trends
With the Angels having clinched a trip to the postseason already, the rest of the eight playoff spots remain to be filled.2008-09-12
With the Angels having clinched a trip to the postseason already, the rest of the eight playoff spots remain to be filled. A couple of the pennant races are really tightening up, and this weekend’s games figure to have a big impact, especially in the N.L. Wildcard, where Milwaukee and Philadelphia are continuing a 4-game set in the City of Brotherly Love. Just two weeks remain in the season after Sunday’s games. Here’s a closer look at the upcoming action and a Top StatFox Power Trend from each of baseball’s 15 series’ this weekend.
The big series of the weekend is between the Phillies and Brewers. After Philadelphia’s 5-3 win on Thursday night in the opener of the series, only three games separate the teams in the N.L. wildcard standings. Neither team is playing its best baseball of the season at this point though, so each is looking to turn it around. The Brewers have the unfortunate timing of not throwing C.C. Sabathia in the series. Both clubs have another competitor to deal with though in the wildcard race, the Houston Astros. Hurricane Ike has postponed the first two games of the Cubs-Astros series and the teams are still working with Major League Baseball on arranging a suitable schedule. With a record of 34-12 in its L46 games, perhaps only Mother Nature can slow down Houston.
In the American League, the only playoff race where it remains to be seen which team will make it to the postseason and which will go home is in the A.L. Central. Mediocre play by both clubs has left the White Sox and Twins battling for one playoff spot, as wildcard dreams are no longer in the picture. The teams are separated by a single game with 16 to go. Minnesota hits the road in Baltimore for the weekend, while Chicago welcomes Detroit to town.
The A.L. East race is still tight at the top, but both the Rays and Red Sox are in comfortable position for making the postseason. It just remains to be seen who will be the division champion and who will be the wildcard representative. Coming off their 3-game set in Boston in which the Rays took two games in dramatic fashion to open up a 2-1/2 game lead, Tampa will head to New York to take on the listless Yankees. The Bronx Bombers have been relegated to the role of spoiler at this point. The Sox meanwhile, will host red-hot Toronto.
With such little time left in the regular season, every game is critical for the contending teams. Don’t miss a key play. Now, here’s a look at a Top StatFox Power Trend for each of the weekend’s 15 series:
ST LOUIS at PITTSBURGH
ST LOUIS is 18-6 OVER (+11.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.
The average score was ST LOUIS 7.0, OPPONENT 5.0 - (Rating = 2*)
MILWAUKEE at PHILADELPHIA
MILWAUKEE is 0-8 (-9.8 Units) against the money line vs. teams outscoring opp by 0.5 or more runs/game in the second half of the season this season.
The average score was MILWAUKEE 2.9, OPPONENT 7.0 - (Rating = 3*)
ATLANTA at NY METS
ATLANTA is 3-14 (-10.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a good team (Win Pct. 54% to 62%) in the second half of the season this season.
The average score was ATLANTA 3.4, OPPONENT 7.2 - (Rating = 1*)
WASHINGTON at FLORIDA
WASHINGTON is 2-18 (-14.4 Units) against the money line in road games vs. an NL team with an on base percentage .325 or worse in the second half of the season this season.
The average score was WASHINGTON 2.4, OPPONENT 4.6 - (Rating = 2*)
CHICAGO CUBS at HOUSTON
HOUSTON is 16-8 (+12.5 Units) against the money line vs. an NL team with a team batting average of .275 or better this season.
The average score was HOUSTON 4.1, OPPONENT 3.4 - (Rating = 2*)
LA DODGERS at COLORADO
COLORADO is 17-35 (-18.4 Units) against the money line vs. a good bullpen whose WHIP is 1.350 or better this season.
The average score was COLORADO 4.3, OPPONENT 5.6 - (Rating = 2*)
CINCINNATI at ARIZONA
CINCINNATI is 26-41 (-22.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
The average score was CINCINNATI 4.4, OPPONENT 5.5 - (Rating = 2*)
SAN FRANCISCO at SAN DIEGO
SAN DIEGO is 14-26 (-14.9 Units) against the money line vs. NL teams scoring 4.3 or less runs/game on the season this season.
The average score was SAN DIEGO 3.4, OPPONENT 4.3 - (Rating = 1*)
TORONTO at BOSTON
BOSTON is 7-16 (-14.9 Units) against the money line vs. AL teams allowing 4.2 or less runs/game in the second half of the season this season.
The average score was BOSTON 3.8, OPPONENT 5.3 - (Rating = 3*)
MINNESOTA at BALTIMORE
BALTIMORE is 8-22 (-15.3 Units) against the money line vs. poor power teams - averaging 0.9 or less HR's/game in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
The average score was BALTIMORE 4.5, OPPONENT 6.4 - (Rating = 2*)
TAMPA BAY at NY YANKEES
TAMPA BAY is 13-47 (-27.4 Units) against the money line in road games vs. AL teams allowing 4.7 or less runs/game in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
The average score was TAMPA BAY 3.5, OPPONENT 5.7 - (Rating = 2*)
KANSAS CITY at CLEVELAND
KANSAS CITY is 7-20 (-13.0 Units) against the money line vs. a poor bullpen whose ERA is 4.50 or worse this season.
The average score was KANSAS CITY 3.8, OPPONENT 5.9 - (Rating = 1*)
DETROIT at CHI WHITE SOX
DETROIT is 13-27 (-16.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a good team (Win Pct. 54% to 62%) this season.
The average score was DETROIT 3.7, OPPONENT 5.6 - (Rating = 2*)
TEXAS at OAKLAND
TEXAS is 21-12 (+11.7 Units) against the money line vs. AL teams scoring 4.2 or less runs/game on the season this season.
The average score was TEXAS 6.3, OPPONENT 5.6 - (Rating = 1*)
SEATTLE at LA ANGELS
SEATTLE is 13-4 OVER (+9.1 Units) in road games when playing against a good team (Win Pct. 54% to 62%) in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
The average score was SEATTLE 4.9, OPPONENT 7.6 - (Rating = 1*)