Josh Beckett makes his highly anticipated Dodgers debut tonight and the change in scenery may be just what he needs to rediscover his fine form. In the mean time, Jeff Francis has bee serviceable for Colorado so go ‘under’ Monday.
Expect a lower scoring game that the double-digit total suggests on Monday night when Josh Beckett makes his debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers (59-59 overall, 34-30 away) as they take on Jeff Francis and the Colorado Rockies (51-75 overall, 26-39 home) in the opening game of a three-game series from Coors Field in Denver, CO at 8:40 ET.
The posted total at Pinnacle Sports is 10½ for this contest with the current odds on the ‘under’ set at -104.
The Dodgers are now in second place in the National League West two games behind the first place San Francisco Giants, and they are also third in the wild card chase, four games behind the wild card leading Atlanta Braves and 1½ games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the final playoff spot, as Major League Baseball is going to two wild cards for the first time this season.
The Dodgers lost to the last place Miami Marlins 6-2 on Sunday, blowing a golden opportunity to gain ground in both races. Then again, perhaps the cruelest blow of all came earlier in the week when Los Angeles got swept three games at home by the Giants, as it is that series that could ultimately take the Dodgers from winning their division to not qualifying for the playoffs.
Now the Dodgers are obviously still alive, but they needed better pitching depth if they hope to catch the pitching-rich Giants and that is where they hope acquiring Beckett in the blockbuster trade with the Red Sox on Saturday that also netted them Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto will pay dividends.
Beckett obviously wore out his welcome in Boston with several run-ins with Manager Bobby Valentine and with upper management, and that may have had a direct impact on his lousy season that has seen him go 5-11 with an ugly 5.23 ERA and 1.33 WHIP. Perhaps a change of scenery and a return to the more pitcher friendly National League is just what the one-time ace and World Series hero needs to revive his career.
In his final appearance with Boston, Beckett allowed four runs on seven hits in six innings vs. the New York Yankees with six strikeouts. We mention this because that was actually his best start in about three weeks, and he now goes from facing that powerful lineup to facing a Colorado lineup that is batting only .223 vs. right-handed pitchers in the last 10 games while averaging just 3.22 runs per nine innings against them during this time.
The Rockies are going nowhere this season as they are dead last in the West and 6½ games behind the team that most experts expected to bring up the rear, the fourth place San Diego Padres. The Colorado pitching has been abysmal and they re-acquired former staff ace Francis in mid-season in seek of some help.
The veteran southpaw has had some good moments too as Francis has allowed three runs or less in three of his last four starts. Keep in mind that the Rockies have been employing a four-man rotation, meaning that Francis has had several starts on three days rest. He had the conventional four days rest before his last start vs. the New York Mets though and promptly allowed only one run and five hits in five innings of a 5-2 win.
He now comes back on four days rest again, so he should again be effective vs. a Dodgers’ lineup that is batting only .233 vs. left-handed pitchers over the entire season. Finally, the ‘under’ is 10-4-1 the last 15 times that Francis has started vs. Los Angeles, and with a rejuvenated Beckett as his opponent, go ‘under’ the bloated double-digit total again on Monday.
The posted total at Pinnacle Sports is 10½ for this contest with the current odds on the ‘under’ set at -104.
The Dodgers are now in second place in the National League West two games behind the first place San Francisco Giants, and they are also third in the wild card chase, four games behind the wild card leading Atlanta Braves and 1½ games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the final playoff spot, as Major League Baseball is going to two wild cards for the first time this season.The Dodgers lost to the last place Miami Marlins 6-2 on Sunday, blowing a golden opportunity to gain ground in both races. Then again, perhaps the cruelest blow of all came earlier in the week when Los Angeles got swept three games at home by the Giants, as it is that series that could ultimately take the Dodgers from winning their division to not qualifying for the playoffs.
Now the Dodgers are obviously still alive, but they needed better pitching depth if they hope to catch the pitching-rich Giants and that is where they hope acquiring Beckett in the blockbuster trade with the Red Sox on Saturday that also netted them Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto will pay dividends.
Beckett obviously wore out his welcome in Boston with several run-ins with Manager Bobby Valentine and with upper management, and that may have had a direct impact on his lousy season that has seen him go 5-11 with an ugly 5.23 ERA and 1.33 WHIP. Perhaps a change of scenery and a return to the more pitcher friendly National League is just what the one-time ace and World Series hero needs to revive his career.
In his final appearance with Boston, Beckett allowed four runs on seven hits in six innings vs. the New York Yankees with six strikeouts. We mention this because that was actually his best start in about three weeks, and he now goes from facing that powerful lineup to facing a Colorado lineup that is batting only .223 vs. right-handed pitchers in the last 10 games while averaging just 3.22 runs per nine innings against them during this time.
The Rockies are going nowhere this season as they are dead last in the West and 6½ games behind the team that most experts expected to bring up the rear, the fourth place San Diego Padres. The Colorado pitching has been abysmal and they re-acquired former staff ace Francis in mid-season in seek of some help.
The veteran southpaw has had some good moments too as Francis has allowed three runs or less in three of his last four starts. Keep in mind that the Rockies have been employing a four-man rotation, meaning that Francis has had several starts on three days rest. He had the conventional four days rest before his last start vs. the New York Mets though and promptly allowed only one run and five hits in five innings of a 5-2 win.
He now comes back on four days rest again, so he should again be effective vs. a Dodgers’ lineup that is batting only .233 vs. left-handed pitchers over the entire season. Finally, the ‘under’ is 10-4-1 the last 15 times that Francis has started vs. Los Angeles, and with a rejuvenated Beckett as his opponent, go ‘under’ the bloated double-digit total again on Monday.
MLB Pick: Dodgers, Rockies ‘under’ 10½ (-104) +++
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