And on to the non-east coast games…
CLE @ KC
Carmona picked up his first win in nearly a month May 14, though he was just mediocre in the start… Remove a seven-strikeout performance, and Carmona has 20 strikeouts in 41.1 innings compared to 28 walks issued… He has not allowed a home run in his past four starts (against four potent offenses in Boston, Toronto, Detroit and Tampa)… Meche has yet to win a game at home this year… He let up his first home run of the season last start, coming off the bat of Aubrey Huff… The strikeouts have tailed off in May (6.19 K/9IP) after striking out 7.84 per nine in April…
Lineup Notes: Grady Sizemore fell from the leadoff spot Tuesady, batting second for the first time this season… Will Kerry Wood be available after allowing the Royals to score four runs in the bottom of the ninth Tuesday?…
Weather: Low around 60 with wind gusts up to 23 mph
MIN @ CHI-A
Francisco Liriano v John Danks
Liriano limited the Yankees to one run on four hits in his last start, but he walked six… He already almost has as many walks (22) as he did in his stellar 2006 performance… Speaking of which, it may be time to write off those 28 2006 appearances and evaluate Liriano basd on his post-surgery performances… He's still better than most pitchers, just not great… Danks has issued four walks (to 21 strikeouts) in his past five starts…. He has a 6.75 ERA over that same span, with 19 earned runs allowed and four home runs given up… He has thrown 66 percent of his pitches for strikes in those games, but batters are hitting .333/.355/.514 off him
Lineup Notes: The Twins recalled Anthony Swarzak, who will start Saturday… Joe Mauer is behind the plate Wednesday, but should DH Thursday… Carlos Gomez enters the lineup with Delmon Young away from the team… The White Sox shift to a righty-domiated lineup, pulling A.J. Pierzynski and Chris Getz… Carlos Quentin (foot) remains out and will probably miss the rest of the series…
Weather: Clear, with a low near 60
CHI-N @ STL
Ryan Dempster v Chris Carpenter
Dempster has gone into the seventh inning in his past four starts… He has allowed a total of four home runs in those games, and has 25 strikeouts in 26.1 innings… He started April 24 against the Cards and allowed three runs on seven hits, striking out six… This is Carpenter's first start since April 14, as has sat the past five weeks with an oblique injury… He did not go on a minor league rehab stint, but rather rehabbed with the big league squad…
Lineup Notes: Randy Wells enters the Cubs' bullpen with Carlos Zambrano expected back Friday… Bobby Scales gets the start at second with Mike Fontenot at third… Shane Robinson was optioned to Triple-A Memphis to clear room for Carpenter… Rick Ankiel is still a few days away from returning, so Nick Stavinoha starts in right… Colby Rasmus has homered in two straight games…
Weather: Low around 60 with clear skies
SF @ SD
Jonathan Sanchez v Chad Gaudin
Things have not gone too smoothly for Sanchez lately… The Giants are 0-4 in his last four starts, and he has a 20:16 K:BB in those 19.2 innings… Batters have a .819 OPS off Sanchez in those games… On the plus side, he has allowed just one home run since his season debut… Gaudin's transition to a full-time starter has not gone well either… He has lost his past three starts… He held the Cubs to one hit in a May 14 start, but allowed seven walks… He has 18 strikeouts and 17 walks in 22 innings this year
Lineup Notes: Aaron Rowand got the night off Tuesday, but is expected to be back in the lineup Wednesday… It appears like Tuesday was just a day of rest for Rowand, who has appeared in 34 of the team's 37 games… This is a West Coast game, and additional notes should trickle in through the night
Weather: Low around 61 with patchy fog
ANA @ SEA
Ervin Santana v Chris Jakubauskas (spelled it right on my first try)
This is Santana's second start since starting the season on the DL with elbow troubles… He picked up five strikeouts in five innings in his first start, but allowed 10 baserunners and three runs in a no-decision… He was able to throw 92 pitches in that start, so stamina should not be an issue… Jakubauskas owns a 63 ERA+ thus far, and he has been fairly inconsistent from inning-to-inning and from start-to-start… He will only get a few more chances as Ryan Rowland-Smith nears an early-June return from the disabled list…
Lineup Notes: This is a West Coast game, and additional notes should trickle in through the night…
Weather: Clear with a low in the high-40s
NY-N @ LA
Hernandez couldn't make it to 75 pitches in his last start, allowing the Giants to score five runs on eight hits in five innings… Opposing batters are hitting .313/.360/.493 off him this season with six home runs… He only has 23 strikeouts in 38.2 innings… There may soon me doubts about his qualifications to keep a rotation spot… This is a spot-start for Weaver, as Eric Stults (thumb) was supposed to go… Weaver has made two relief appearances since heading to the bullpen May 10, the most recent was May 16… He has thrown just three strikeouts over his past three appearances (one start)… He probably will go back to the 'pen after this start…
Lineup Notes: This is a West Coast game, and additional notes should trickle in through the night…
Keep an eye on Roto as those later games approach… Enjoy your Wednesday… I'm off to get a sandwich