Twins' Liriano puts unbeaten streak on line vs. Tigers

Baseball Betting Lines

09/01/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Playing at Target Field has usually translated into success for the Minnesota Twins. And when Francisco Liriano has taken the mound, the current American League Central leaders have been nearly invincible as of late.

Liriano aims for a seventh consecutive winning decision and improve upon his team's already-strong home record when the Twins continue a three-game series with the Detroit Tigers this evening.

Since the All-Star break, Liriano has compiled a 6-0 record along with an excellent 2.47 earned run average over seven starts and has surrendered two runs or fewer in six of those outings. The standout lefty hasn't lost since a forgettable performance against the Tigers in Detroit on July 9, when he was battered for seven runs and six hits in only 1 2/3 innings of work.

Liriano also was dealt a defeat by the Tigers at Target Field back on June 28, a game in which he permitted six runs in six innings. That was one of only three losses for the native Dominican in Minneapolis this season, and he's gone 3-0 in five home starts that followed that poor showing.

The 26-year-old, who's 6-3 with a 2.72 ERA over 12 Target Field assignments, continued his recent winning ways by holding AL West-leading Texas to two runs and five hits over seven sharp innings this past Thursday in Arlington.

In 14 career appearances (10 starts) against Detroit, Liriano is 4-3 with a 5.24 ERA.

He'll be attempting to pitch the Twins to victory for the 13th time in their last 15 home tilts this evening. Minnesota moved to 41-22 in its first-year ballpark with a 4-3 triumph over the Tigers in Tuesday's opener of this set, with the defending division champions rallying from a early 3-0 deficit to prevail.

The Twins had been shut out until Michael Cuddyer delivered an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth inning and later scored on Danny Valencia's ground- rule double that cut the lead to 3-2. Minnesota then scored twice in the seventh to move in front, taking advantage of an off night from the Detroit bullpen.

Minnesota put two men on with two outs in the bottom of the seventh when Tigers reliever Phil Coke (7-4) walked J.J. Hardy and later hit Joe Mauer with a pitch. Ryan Perry then stepped in and drilled Jason Kubel in the left wrist to load the bases before walking Cuddyer to force home the tying run. Delmon Young followed with a single that plated Mauer for a 4-3 lead.

Randy Flores and Jesse Crain teamed up to hold the Tigers scoreless in the eighth before substitute closer Matt Capps protected the one-run edge in the ninth to record the save.

Capps was filling in for the recently-acquired Brian Fuentes after the ex- Angel incurred a stiff back while warming up during the game. Both he and Kubel are expected to sit out tonight's test due to their injuries, while second baseman Orlando Hudson could also miss the game because of a sprained right ankle that's bothered him over the past few days.

Tuesday's triumph kept the Twins four games ahead of second-place Chicago in the AL Central standings after the White Sox defeated Cleveland last night.

The Tigers have now dropped three of their last four and continue to struggle as the visitor in this series. Detroit is now a woeful 3-14 in Minneapolis since the start of the 2009 campaign and have lost six of seven meetings with the Twins on the road this season.

Minnesota has won eight of 13 overall matchups between the clubs in 2010 as well.

Max Scherzer can give Detroit a good chance of ending those struggles if he continues to pitch like he has over the past few weeks. The young right-hander enters tonight's clash having won his last three starts and sports a stellar 1.31 ERA over his last six games, lasting at least six innings and permitting two runs or less on each of those occasions.

Scherzer was in top form Thursday in Toronto, where he limited the Blue Jays to one run and struck out eight over eight outstanding innings to earn his 10th win of the season. Five days earlier, the offseason acquisition gave up just two runs -- one earned -- and fanned eight Cleveland hitters to beat the Indians on August 21.

The former Arizona first-round draft choice has not fared well in two previous encounters with the Twins this season, however. Scherzer allowed six runs and 10 hits -- two of which were homers -- before exiting after only 3 2/3 innings in a no-decision against Minnesota on April 28, and was blasted for 10 runs in 4 1/3 frames during a loss at Target Field on May 3.

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Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting

So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.

Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?

If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)

Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).

In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.

Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.

The Bubble Breakdown
CONFERENCE LOCKS SHOULD BE INS AT-LARGES TAKEN
(assuming no auto bid outlier)
ACC Betting Odds 6 0 5
Big East Betting Odds 5 0 4
Big Ten Betting Odds 2 2 3
Big 12 Betting Odds 3 0 2
Pac-10 Betting Odds 5 1 5
SEC Betting Odds 4 0 3
MVC Betting Odds 1 1 1
MWC Betting Odds 2 1 2
TOTAL 28 5 25

As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.

(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)

If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech

The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.

 

Work left to do:

Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.

Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).

Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.

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