AL West squads search for split to start the season

It’s an odd sight to see Major League baseball teams to open the year playing a four game series. Most start with one game, have potential rain date and continue series that adds up to three contests. One advantage that can be typically counted on is playing baseball in California, where weather is seldom an issue, thus sites Oakland and Anaheim are the perfect places to start with a four game series if needed.

This season Seattle and Los Angeles are considered prime rivals for the American League West crown and each has lost two of three to start a new campaign and each needs a victory today to gain a split to begin the year.

Sleepless in Seattle

The Mariners made several off-season moves designed to close the gap between themselves and the Angels. Though one-run wins or losses are considered random events by baseball math experts, since they are changeable from year to year for every team, that doesn’t make them any easier to swallow.

Seattle after winning the first contest over division partner Oakland, has lost 2-1 and 6-5 the last two evenings, with the latter blowing a lead late in the game.

The M’s will turn to Doug Fister for the first time in 2010. As a rookie, he was 3-4 with a 4.13 ERA in 11 games, 10 which of he was a starter. Fister is a big man at 6’8, but is not overpowering, being more a pitch to contact hurler. Look for Oakland to load up with as many left-handed bats as they can against the right-hander, since he surrendered a home run every 15 at bats against them in 2009. Seattle failed to win in Fister’s last four road starts.

Oakland counters with one of their young studs, 22-year old Brett Anderson. The lefty set an Oakland rookie record with 150 strikeouts and led the team in both strikeouts and wins with 11. He was roughed up a bit in the spring, but part of that was trying to add a changeup into his pitching arsenal. Dating back to last season, the A’s are 9-3 off a win.

For this 3:35 Eastern matinee, Bookmaker.com has Oakland as -160 money line favorite with total Ov8, however the Athletics are 6-17 at home having won two of their last three games and are 6-1 OVER in Game Four of a series.

Seattle will look to balance the win/loss ledger, but are 9-23 as road underdog of +150 or less and 2-7 vs. left-handed starters. The Mariners are 29-15 UNDER in day games.

Angels need a prayer

Los Angeles has lost Chone Figgins and Vladimir Guerrero from their everyday lineup and while it is way too early to make judgment call, the Angels have dropped last two contests to the Twins, totaling five runs.

The Angels hope the bats awaken against Minnesota starter Kevin Slowey, whose fastball is in the 88-89 range, which he throws easily on both sides of the plate. He mixes in a tight curveball and late-breaking slider. L.A. will look to attack early, since they are 41-15 in double revenge situations.

The Halos will have two different debuts Thursday at 10:05 Eastern, Hideki Matsui in leftfield for the first time since June 15, 2008 and Joel Pineiro making his initial start with Angels cap.

"Every first start of every year is exciting," Pineiro said. "You want to get out there and get that first one out of the way and get in the normal rotation. It's just a matter of executing, hitting your spots and making your pitches. You've got to get ahead in the count and expand from there. I want to attack their weaknesses with my strengths.

That might be easier said than done for Pineiro, who is 2-6 with a 4.32 ERA against Minnesota, facing players that are dialed in.

Justin Morneau and J.J. Hardy are coming off long balls in back to back games, leading a Twins club that is 14-5 following a victory. Minnesota is a +115 road dog and has won six of seven outright when at +110 to +150 price.

L.A. is the favorite for a fourth time in the series and despite a pair of defeats is 9-3 as home fave. Normally the Big A is a positive place for the Angels when the Twins visit, sporting a 24-11 record.