FanHouse

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups

Los Angeles Angels (40-26) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (38-27) - 3:35PM Est.

Looking around today's schedule there just isn't a better matchup than the one in Los Angeles this afternoon, whether you're looking at it based on the strength of the two teams playing, or at the starting pitching matchups. The Angels and Rays will finish their three-game set in Anaheim with the rubber game this afternoon.

Neither of today's starters were available to their team to start the season, but ever since John Lackey and Scott Kazmir have rejoined their teams rotations they've both been the dominant aces their squads need to contend.

Today they square off against each other for the first time.


John Lackey has never gone mano y mano with Scott Kazmir, but he's enjoyed quite a bit of success against the Rays in his career. John's made ten starts against Tampa and is 8-1 with a 2.35 ERA. He's been even better at home, going 6-0 with a 1.38 ERA in the seven starts he's made there. Of course, he's never faced a Rays team that's been this good, or a pitcher that's as hot as Kazmir.

Since returning from the disable list, Kazmir has gone 6-1 with a 1.40 ERA on the season for Tampa, and has been incredible in his last six starts. He's 6-0 in that span with a 0.89 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 41 innings.

In his career against the Angels, Kazmir is 2-1 with a 3.26 ERA in three starts, but none of them have come on the road.

New York Mets (30-33) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (35-30) - 7:10PM Est.

For a while there this season, it seemed as though Arizona's Brandon Webb was unbeatable. He started the season with a 9-0 record, leaving batters scratching their heads in his wake, but then hit a bump in the road as he lost two straight starts.

Was it the end of Brandon Webb!? Of course not, as in his last two starts Brandon has reverted to old form and gone 2-0 while allowing only one run and 9 hits (8 of which have been singles) in his last 16 innings. He's also struck out 11 in that span. Now he looks to become the first pitcher in the Majors to reach 12 wins on the season.

Webb's had trouble with the Mets though, as he's only 3-6 with a 2.58 ERA in ten starts, but he is 2-1 with a 0.31 ERA in four starts at Shea Stadium.

The Mets will counter with Mike Pelfrey and he's looking to pick up his first win since you were scrambling to send your tax return in on time (you know, if you're a part of that whole "paying taxes" scam). Pelfrey's bad stretch almost cost him his job in the rotation, but he has pitched better his last two times out and just hasn't picked up a decision or gotten much support from his teammates.

In two starts against the Snakes, Mike is 0-2 with a 6.97 ERA.

Colorado Rockies (25-39) vs. San Francisco Giants (29-36) - 9:05PM Est.

Okay, so there hasn't been much reason to watch either the Giants or the Rockies this season. The Rockies have been a a pretty big disappointment following their World Series trip, and the Giants have been pretty much living up to limited expectations. Still, there is one reason to watch this game tonight, and his name is Tim Lincecum.

The 23-year old Lincecum has been responsible for 28% of the Giants wins this season, as he's 8-1 with a 2.15 ERA so far this year. He's also won his last four decisions and would like to run that streak to five tonight as he hasn't lost a game since April 29th. That loss came at home, to these Rockies, so Tim has vengeance on his plate tonight.

He's 2-1 with a 4.30 ERA against the Rockies in four starts.

Colorado will send Ubaldo Jimenez to the bump tonight, and he's been just about the complete opposite of Lincecum this season. Ubaldo hasn't won a game since April 8th, a span of eleven starts. He'll be happy to see the Giants, though, as he's had some success against them in his young career. He's made two starts against the Giants and has a 1.46 ERA though he hasn't factored into a decision.

Everybody Else

• Jays vs. Mariners 12:37PM
  
• Red Sox vs. Orioles 7:05PM
• Indians vs. Twins 7:05PM
• Tigers vs. White Sox 7:05PM
• Pirates vs. Nationals 7:05PM
• Reds vs. Cardinals 7:10PM
• Marlins vs. Phillies 7:10PM
• Cubs vs. Braves 8:05PM - ESPN
• Astros vs. Brewers 8:05PM
• Royals vs. Rangers 8:10PM
• Athletics vs. Yankees 10:05PM
• Padres vs. Dodgers 10:05PM