May's Best -Worst MLB Starters

With Super Saver winning the Kentucky Derby, this signals MLB enters its second month of play. And with it a handful of surprise teams take center stage. The key to sustaining success, or lack of it, comes from the pitching staffs. With that thought in mind, Marc Lawrence of Playbook.com zero in on pitchers that will look to keep their team in the race and those that may pull up before they hit the wire.

Listed below are hurlers that have enjoyed a two-to-one or better success ratio in team starts the last three seasons during the month of May. On the flip side, we’ve also listed pitchers that struggle in May team starts, winning 33% percent or less of their efforts. To qualify pitchers must have made a minimum of 10 starts, with at least one start each May over the last three years.

GOOD MONTH PITCHERS:

Beckett, Josh • 12-3
After a slow start, Beckett threw seven strong innings, allowing two runs on six hits and most importantly for him had 6-0 strikeout-to-walk ratio in Baltimore on May 2, which is about how he normally pitches this month.



Carmona, Fausto • 10-5
Since his breakout season of 2007, Carmona has struggled with mechanics, but has been more consistent in 2010. If he keeps the walks down, he should again have a good month even on a so-so club.
Hamels, Cole • 14-3
The left-hander has allowed too many meaty pitches in the hitting zone, (35 hits in 30.2 innings). Let’s see if the warmer weather helps Hamels get a better feel for curve and changeup.
Kazmir, Scott • 10-5
The last few seasons of arm miseries has robbed Kazmir of some velocity. For him to pitch at previous levels, he has to more consistent in the strike zone and pitch deeper into games, with six innings high water mark thus far. He could make marked improvement however this month, since he has 19 K’s in 21 innings in 2010.
Lilly, Ted • 12-6
The soft-tossing lefty has had one good and one bad outing in his return from the DL. In his second start, he lacked the usual bite on his breaking stuff and got racked. May is usually a solid month from Lilly, expect him to come thru.
Padilla, Vicente • 11-4
Vicente Padilla's right-elbow soreness should keep him out until at least the end of May, manager Joe Torre said Sunday. "He's better, he's feeling better, but not having thrown for a while, I don't see him helping us this month," Torre said. "That's not anything, I think, unusual."
Perez, Oliver • 8-4
Off their recent eight-game winning streak, the Mets could use Perez to have another good May to help their cause. Ability-wise Perez is a No.2-3 starter, but he too often can’t find the plate (14 walks in 20.2 innings this year). Certainly capable of big month.
Santana, Johan • 11-5
Santana’s first start of May was forgettable, being rocked by the Phillies. That however is not the norm and it is wiser to presume he bounces back to form and wins a number of games with normal run support.
Wellemeyer, Todd • 9-4
He’s the fifth starter on a deep staff in San Francisco. His early results have been below average, with but a couple of off days early in the month, Wellemeyer came out of the bullpen on May 2 and allowed no runs in three innings. Maybe this helps turn him around for May.

BAD MONTH PITCHERS:

Davis, Doug • 4-10
Milwaukee took a flyer on Davis hoping he could at least be .500 pitcher. To date 8.87 ERA with no wins and has permitted 38 base bits in just 22.1 innings, ugh!
Lohse, Kyle • 5-11
Another reclamation project for the Cardinals brilliant pitching coach Dave Duncan. Doesn’t hit the 90’s much anymore with fastball, but Duncan has him using two-seam fastball which he sinks. When his slider and curve are not working, will get tattooed.
Meche, Gil • 6-12
Was supposed to be the ace in Kansas City coming over from Seattle and has been anything but. Meche has 10.13 ERA this season and he usually pitches worse in May, yikes!
Silva, Carlos • 3-10
Essentially innings-eater most of his career. Has started well with the Cubs (2-0, 2.90 ERA) thanks to having control (21 K’s-6W’s). History doesn’t suggest he will keep it up.

Doug Upstone of 3DailyWinners contributed to this article.

Cubs and Phillies converge as hot teams

For many people, a trip to Washington, D.C. is a wonderful and historic adventure. The city has many great things to see and do and a short drive in several directions can further enhance the experience. For the Chicago Cubs, the four day excursion to out nation’s capitol turned out to be just the right kind of stimulus package needed to start the second half of the year.

The Cubs (47-43, -4.9 units) marched into woeful Washington and swept the Nationals in four games and have taken over second place in the NL Central, trailing St. Louis by two games, though are tied with them in the loss column. If Washington was the right team for manager Lou Pinella’s squad to play at the moment, Monday’s opponent, Philadelphia is just the exact opposite.

The Phillies (51-38, +6.5 units) are fresh off a weekend in Miami and swept their then nearest competitor in the NL East, Florida, building a 6.5 game lead in the division. The defending World Series champions are on eight-game winning streak and have been the conqueror in 12 of last 13 contests. The Phils have won every way imaginable; from a 2-0 shutout to a 22-1 blowout and Sunday’s victory improves them to incomparable 29-15 (+16.8 units) record on the road.

Philadelphia returns home to Citizens Bank Park, where they have turned around, after a half a season of dismal play. The Phils have won nine of last 10 at home to raise record to 22-23 (-10.3 units) and they are 21-8 vs. teams like Chicago whose hitters strike out seven or more times a game this year.

Rodrigo Lopez (1-0, 3.18 ERA) is the No.5 starter at present; however this job is in serious jeopardy with the signing of Pedro Martinez. Lopez will have likely a total of three starts before Martinez comes off the DL, meaning he will have to have a few inspired efforts. Lopez is pitching on 11 days rest and in his career, is 10-1 in home games when working on seven or more days rest. (Team's Record)

The Cubs will counter with their only All-Star, Ted Lilly (9-6, 3.18), who is pitching with two additional off days, since developing inflammation in his left knee. The Cubs lefthander has been extra sharp in last three outings with 2.11 ERA, striking out 20 and walking only three in 21 1/3 innings. Here is a little known fact on Lilly. In the last three years, including this season, only Roy Halladay (47) and Josh Beckett (44) have more wins than Lilly’s total of 41.

DiamondSportsbook.com has established Philadelphia as a -115 money line favorite, with a total of Un9.5. The Phillies are 51-23 off a win and 22-8 UNDER with an on-base percentage of .350 or better over their last 20 games. The Cubs have played like they are in hibernation as underdogs with 2-15 mark in 2009. Chicago is 30-12 UNDER vs. an average bullpen whose ERA is 3.75 to 4.50 this season.

This is the ESPN Monday night telecast which will start at 7:05 Eastern, with Philly having taken four of the last six on home turf over the Cubs.

Can the Chicago Cubs turn season around?

Many a heart has been broken by Chicago Cubs franchise over the years. The list of failures would make even the Big Three automakers blush. Everyone knows about last year’s playoff bust and a century of nonfulfillment and every Cub supporter has their version of the 1984 playoff series against San Diego or the unforgettable collapse of 1969.

Losing and the Chicago Cubs fit together like two people meeting on EHarmony.com. The Cubs haven’t been complete failures of late putting together back-to-back winning seasons twice since 2003, which were the first since 1971-72. Juxtaposed those figures against there biggest rival, the St. Louis Cardinals, who have suffered consecutive losing seasons twice in the last 49 years.
Since being one of the best teams in baseball from 1929 to 1945 (they lost in the World Series five times in the span), Chicago fans have suffered mightily, once going 16 years without a winning season (1947-1962) playing at a .425 clip.

Last year’s puzzling ending to the Los Angeles led to “wait till next year” for the North Siders and oddsmakers believed the Cubbies were indeed ready to make another run at winning a World Series for the 101st time since last being champions in 1908.

If 2009 was to be “the year”, thus far for the Cubs it’s been like those trying to stop Johnny Depp as John Dillinger in “Public Enemies”. The vaunted Chicago offense has looked like Rex Grossman leading the Bears the last few seasons, averaging 4.1 runs per game, 14th in the National League.

The list of underachievers is remarkable, Kosuke Fukudome batting .251, Milton Bradley .243, Alfonso Soriano .233 and Geovany Soto .230. The Cubs front office decided they would clear cash to sign Bradley and move Mark DeRosa, this season the combined average of the second basemen is .224 with on-base percentage of .280. True, having Bradley hurt was a setback as was Aramis Ramirez being out of the lineup for an extended period.

The fact is manager Lou Pinella’s use of the full roster can’t work if players don’t produce. The Cubs are next to last in doubles, 11th in walks and 13th in on-base percentage. If not for Derrick Lee’s hot spell the last month, no telling how much lower they would be.

The Cubs pitching is better, but not when it counts. They allow 4.1 runs per game, which is third in the National League. There starting pitching has been somewhat erratic beyond Ted Lilly (9-6, 3.18 ERA) and Carlos Zambrano (5-4, 3.53), as the Cubs are 22-12 when those two start. Rich Harden’s mechanical problems have him getting hit hard and Ryan Dempster is a lost cause on the road with Cubs sporting 1-9 record in his 10 starts.

The bullpen’s .500 record is in sync with the team record and the save percentage is lowly .625 for a team presumed to be running away with division. Kevin Gregg has stabilized as the closer after abject start, but Carlos Marmol is a half a pack of Marlboro’s with 43 walks in 43 innings of work.

Even being baseball’s biggest underachievers based on preseason prognostications, the Cubs are only one game behind division leading St. Louis in the loss column, though backers are paying for it at -8 units. For Chicago to live up to expectations, they are going to have to average about five runs the rest of the way and hope the pitching holds up.

Blogger hearsay has rumblings in the clubhouse with not everyone pulling on the same rope. Reports have stubborn players unwilling to change to help the team, pitchers becoming testy with the lack of offense and too many lapses of concentration on the field.

Can the Cubs take control of wide open division, undoubtedly if the talent plays to potential. However, after this many games, the Cubs seem wholly capable of finishing just ahead of Pittsburgh in the Central, which means, wait till next year.