A bunch of late games tonight (seems to be a growing trend), and a bunch of 2009 pitching debuts. If you're too busy watching the "Band of Brothers" marathon on History Channel, grilling some tube steaks, at an all-white party or some sort of other Memorial Day activity, don't worry, we'll be watching the games.
As always, updates for the West Coast games will be in the comments section or on the MLB page
Here's what the RW army and I will be looking for:
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PIT @ CHI-A
Russ Ohlendorf v Clayton Richard
Ohlendorf beat the Nationals in his last start despite allowing five runs and three walks in five innings… He has allowed seven home runs in his past five starts… That number does not bode well for a warm spring evening in the Cell… Richard makes his first start since almost being traded to San Diego… He is yet to publicly respond to almost getting traded, and it may affect how he throws Saturday… Richard held the lethal Jays to two runs in his second start and lasted seven innings… The Pirates hit .237 against lefties
Lineup Notes: Andy LaRoche returns to the Pirates lineup… Craig Monroe serves as the DH… Alexei Ramirez hits second after scoring both of the Sox' runs Friday… Carlos Quentin is back in the outfield… Chris Getz bats ninth… Manager Ozzie Guillen is not with the club
COL @ DET
Jason Marquis v Armando Galarraga
Marquis' strikeouts have not come this season… He is averaging 3.9 K/9 after averaging 5.0 K/9 in his two years with the Cubs… Marquis has had a complete game and a nine-inning performance in May, but he had a 3.2 inning start against the Astros in which he allowed nine runs…. Galarraga was stellar in his four April starts, but his four May starts have brought his ERA+ down to 85… He averages five walks per nine innings, and that figure blows up to 6.31 when calculated for May
Lineup Notes: Magglio Ordonez returns from the bereavement list… He says he has more "piece of mind now," and a distraction may be to blame for his early season struggles… Garrett Atkins serves as the Rockies' DH…. Ian Stewart plays third
BAL @ WAS
Uehara has not won a game since April 13, a streak that spans six starts… He has a 32:4 K:BB over those starts… He also allowed 2.68 times as many fly balls as ground balls… Low pitch counts, and a mediocre bullpen, means he will not see a ton of wins… This will be Detwiler's second career start… He struck out six without a walk in his first start… He struck out 28 in 27.1 innings at Double-A Harrisburg, and had 170 in 184.1 career minor league innings
Lineup Notes: Aubrey Huff sits in the NL park
NY-N @ BOS
The "yips" plagued Pelfrey in his last start, causing him to balk three times… He reportedly worked past them in a recent bullpen session… He has allowed a total of 10 earned runs in four May starts… But has just five strikeouts in those starts… Beckett snapped a streak of six bad starts in his last outing, limiting the Mariners to two earned runs and four hits in seven innings… In the six starts previous, he had not achieved more than 18 in a game, and allowed a .340 BAA in 33.2 innings… His allowing 4.3 BB/9 this year after posting a 1.8 in each of the past two seasons
Lineup Notes: Ryan Church will rest his sore hammy for another night… Beltran (knee) will DH…. Jose Reyes (calf) is out… He may play Sunday… J.J. Putz (neck) is available… Julio Lugo is not playing… Nick Green at short… It just looks like a day off for Lugo
CLE @ CIN
This will be Huff's second MLB start… He only lasted 3.2 innings in his first start against the Rays, allowing seven runs on seven hits and four walks… Regardless of whether he worked out the jitters, pitching in the GABP will be a challenge… Hello Homer… This will be his first MLB start of '09 after finding limited success in the major leagues the past two years… He struck out 43 in 45.1 Triple-A Louisville innings…. He also allowed nine home runs in eight games
Lineup Notes: Joey Votto (dizziness) returns to the Reds lineup after a five-game absence… Jonny Gomes makes his first start as a Red, he is in left and batting fifth… The Indians placed Aaron Laffey and Anthony Reyes on the DL Saturday… Jeremy Sowers and Rich Rundles take their spots on the roster
TOR @ ATL
Richmond struck out seven and walked one in his last start…. Granted, it was against the swing first, ask questions last White Sox… It was his first time eclipsing the 100-pitch mark in May, and 68 percent of those pitches went for strikes… Lowe allowed two runs on three hits over eight innings in his last start, but still took the loss… He has posted a 4.25 K/9 in four May starts, but has balanced that out by inducing 53 ground balls… Lowe has factored in the game's decision in his past six starts
MIL @ MIN
Braden Looper v Anthony Swarzak
Looper has allowed a home run in each of his May starts… He has given up more long balls (six) than walks (five) in his 22.1 innings… Looper failed to notch a strikeout in his last start, but only allowed three hits… As long as Baseball-reference.com isn't lying, Swarzak will be the first man with his last name to play in an MLB game… He temporarily takes Glen Perkins' place in the Twins' rotation… He was a former top prospect and was suspended for 50 games in 2007 for violating the league's drug policy… He allowed just one home run in 44 innings at Triple-A Rochester, and he had 32 K's to 11 walks
Lineup Notes: JJ Hardy suffered back spasms Friday and will not play Saturday… Craig Counsell leads off and plays short… Corey Hart gets the night off… Jason Kubel (knee) thinks he will be able to return Sunday or Monday
TB @ FLA
Niemann is coming off his best start of the year… He went eight innings against the A's, walking none, but allowing two home runs… He has not hit a batter in his past two starts after hitting batters in three-straight starts (Apr 27-May 7)… He is walking batters at the same rate this year as last, but is striking out 3.5 batters per nine fewer than last… West jumps from Double-A Jupiter to the Marlins' rotation…. He struck out 50 in 42.2 innings at Jupiter and had 20 non-intentional walks… He allowed nine home runs in eight starts
Lineup Notes: Normal lineup for the Marlins… Manager Joe Maddon gave Carlos Pena, Akinori Iwamura and Dioner Navarro the night off Heavy rain in Miami… Expect a delay
AZ @ OAK
Haren has worn the ace hat well in Brandon Webb's absence, though he only has three wins in eight starts… He has struck out 56 in as many innings and issued just nine walks… His 0.87 WHIP leads the league… Batters are hitting .193/.230/.277 off him this season… This is Gonzalez' first start of 2009 and his A's debut… He had a 78 ERA+ in 257.2 innings for the Diamondbacks spread over six seasons… Gonzalez struck out 27 to 16 walks for Triple-A Sacramento and allowed four home runs in seven starts
SF @ SEA
Cain boasts a 2.65 ERA through 51 innings, but walks have been an issue for him… He walks 4.4 per nine innings to just six strike outs… Take away a May 5 start in which he allowed three home runs, and he has allowed three in 45 innings… Jarrod Washburn was supposed to start for the Mariners, but a sore knee pushed the start back to Tuesday…. Olson makes the spot-start…. He allowed three home runs and four walks in his only other start this season… Playing the Giants instead of the Red Sox should be better for him, but it's not worth adding him in most formats
Lineup Notes: Ronny Cedeno takes over at short for the night… Yuniesky Betancourt sits… Wladimir Balentin also has the night off…
ANA @ LA
Lackey makes his second start since the infamous two-pitch game when he returned from the disabled list… He was not at his best in his other start, only lasting five innings in his other start, allowing five runs in five innings… Wolf has 46 strikeouts to 18 non-intentional walks in 56.1 innings… Batters have hit .178 off him in the month of May, but he has allowed 11 walks and a .625 OPS in 25 innings