MLB viewing guide: Weekend schedule spotlight
Three teams that combined for 282 losses in 2012 seek to prove themselves aganst three of last year’s playoff teams, and two of the NL’s most successful teams since 2010 square off by the Bay.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
May 10 | Matt Cain (1-2), 5.27 ERA, 5.13 FIP | Tim Hudson (4-1), 3.83 ERA, 4.21 FIP | FOX Sports-South, KNTV | |
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May 11 | Madison Bumgarner (3-1), 2.31 ERA, 3.03 FIP | Paul Maholm (4-3), 3.09 ERA, 3.14 FIP | 4:05 pm ET | MLB Network, FOX Sports-South, CSBA |
May 12 | Tim Lincecum (2-2), 4.75 ERA, 3.82 FIP | Kris Medlen (1-4), 3.25 ERA, 3.80 FIP | 4:05 pm ET | FOX Sports-South, CSBA |
The only National League team with more wins since 2010 than these two clubs is the Phillies, a 2010-11 powerhouse now on the decline. The games actually began Thursday night, when the Braves prolonged Ryan Vogelsong's 2013 struggles in a 6-3 victory. Both Cain and Lincecum have also gone through shaky starts to the season that the Braves hope will continue. Braves pitchers will have to cool down Buster Posey, though; the defending MVP has hit .409 in the past week, and briefly gave the Giants a 3-2 lead with a homer on Thursday.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
May 10 | Max Scherzer (4-0), 3.43 ERA, 1.99 FIP | Corey Kluber (2-1), 3.06 ERA, 2.76 FIP | 7:08 pm ET | SportsTime Ohio, FOX Sports-Detroit |
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May 11 | Justin Verlander (4-2), 1.55 ERA, 1.95 FIP | Ubaldo Jimenez (2-2), 6.37 ERA, 4.97 FIP | 7:08 pm ET | MLB Network, SportsTime Ohio, FOX Sports-Detroit |
May 12 | Rick Porcello (1-2), 7.52 ERA, 4.88 FIP | Zach McAllister (3-3), 2.63 ERA, 3.83 FIP | 1:08 pm ET | SportsTime Ohio, FOX Sports-Detroit |
The new-look Indians get their first crack at the Tigers in 2013 with Michael Bourn fresh off the disabled list. The Tribe is off to a promising start, and the club's 18-14 record is only a game behind Detroit. Cleveland fell apart after May last year, but an early-season series victory in the home of the defending division champions would establish some credibility. Hell, Ubaldo's pitched well in his past two starts, even though it would be insanity to pick him to outpitch Verlander.
Photo credit: USA TODAY Sports
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
May 10 | Shelby Miller (4-2), 1.96 ERA, 2.96 FIP | Jon Garland (3-2), 4.75 ERA, 4.40 FIP | 8:15 pm ET | ROOT Sports, FOX Sports-Midwest |
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May 11 | Adam Wainwright (4-2), 2.72 ERA, 1.88 FIP | Jhoulys Chacin (3-1), 2.56 ERA, 3.05 FIP | 2:15 pm ET | ROOT Sports, FOX Sports-Midwest |
May 12 | Jaime Garcia (4-1), 2.25 ERA, 3.05 FIP | Jorge de la Rosa (3-3), 3.52 ERA, 4.34 FIP | 2:15 pm ET | ROOT Sports, FOX Sports-Midwest |
Unlike the beer, Miller has been as terrific as advertised before the season. St. Louis's rotation strength is on display in this series -- not one of the three starters can be easily dismissed. Colorado's offense was recently held to just five runs in three games against Yankees pitching, and in Coors Field no less. Troy Tulowitzki's return to the lineup on Thursday did not help them very much, either. Since their eight-game winning streak in April, the Rockies have gone 6-11. If the offense can't find its rhythm in St. Louis, then Walt Weiss's crew might regress to .500 even sooner than anticipated.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
May 10 | Wade Davis (2-2), 4.75 ERA, 4.43 FIP | Phil Hughes (1-2), 3.60 ERA, 3.50 FIP | 8:05 pm ET | MLB Network, YES Network, FOX Sports-Kansas City |
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May 11 | James Shields (2-2), 2.52 ERA, 2.62 FIP | Andy Pettitte (3-2), 4.06 ERA, 4.39 FIP | 7:10 pm ET | YES Network, FOX Sports-Kansas City |
May 12 | Ervin Santana (3-1), 2.36 ERA, 3.06 FIP | Hiroki Kuroda (4-2), 2.30 ERA, 3.33 FIP | 2:10 pm ET | YES Network, FOX Sports-Kansas City |
The Royals get to show off their new pitching toys to the Yankees in Kansas City, where not a single game appears destined for a blowout. The Yankees struggled to score in their most recent series at Coors Field, but the lineup should get a boost from the return of designated hitter Travis Hafner, who was limited to pinch-hitting duty in the NL park. On the other side, the Royals' offense might be heating up, as both Mike Moustakas and Alex Gordon homered in consecutive games in Baltimore. Gordon has actually homered in three straight games, a career-high for the former first-round pick. While Hughes pitched well in his past few starts, he is as good a candidate as any to extend that streak since he's surrendered 40 homers in 38 starts over the past two years.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
May 10 | Ian Kennedy (1-3), 5.19 ERA, 4.72 ERA | Tyler Cloyd (2013 debut) | 9:40 pm ET | CSN, FOX Sports-Arizona |
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May 11 | Trevor Cahill (2-3), 2.80 ERA, 3.67 FIP | Cliff Lee (3-2), 3.26 ERA, 2.84 FIP | 8:10 pm ET | CSN, FOX Sports-Arizona |
May 12 | Brandon McCarthy (0-3), 6.75 ERA, 4.11 FIP | Kyle Kendrick (4-1), 2.45 ERA, 3.24 FIP | 4:10 pm ET | WB17, FOX Sports-Arizona |
With Roy Halladay going on the DL indefinitely, Cloyd will get an extended look at the big-league level after a six-start cameo last year. He has the unfortunate luck of having to kick off his second season in a hitter-friendly park against a team on a four-game winning streak, but that also makes a possible win appear more impressive. Kendrick has been on a roll since his season-opening dud against the Royals; six straight quality starts go a long way toward making Charlie Manuel forget about the opener. Kendrick must be taking lessons in control from his fellow stingy teammate Lee, whose 1.3 BB/9 bests Kendrick's 1.9 BB/9.
Day | Home SP | Visit. SP | Time | Where |
May 10 | Dallas Keuchel (0-1), 4.96 ERA, 5.80 FIP | Alexi Ogando (3-2), 3.08 ERA, 3.98 FIP | 8:10 pm ET | CSN, KTXA |
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May 11 | Erik Bedard (0-2), 7.36 ERA, 7.44 FIP | Yu Darvish (5-1), 2.56 ERA, 1.87 FIP | 7:10 pm ET | CSN, FOX Sports-Southwest |
May 12 | Jordan Lyles (1-0), 4.50 ERA, 3.08 FIP | Nick Tepesch (2-3), 4.50 ERA, 4.17 FIP | 2:10 pm ET | CSN, FOX Sports-Southwest |
Yu's back in Houston for the first time since his perfect game near-miss on the second day of the season, and the Astros only have nine more wins than they did when they last met the Rangers in that series. The two teams are at opposite ends of the spectrum, and their respective records (21-13 and 10-24) certainly reflect their likely futures in 2013. Astros pitchers must be wary of first baseman Mitch Moreland, who seems to be in dinger-happy mode with three homers in four games. Two of those blasts went to the opposite field; if Keuchel, Bedard, and Lyles are not careful, the Crawford Boxes await him.
