Spot * On Picks | 7.4 (Sat) Let Quality Starts Ring

On this the 233rd anniversary of this country's independence from the tyrannous British (current company of Englishmen here excused, of course), my gift to the American people is simple, simple I say. I give you the gift of Quality. Quality Starts, that is. Quality Starts backed by research, tireless hours, and wearing my fingers down to the bone. So America, here is the gift I give you to as we celebrate our freedom. Who would've thought that in July we'd have a Yankee and Red Sox pitcher who both qualify for this? Not I...

Russ Ortiz (R), HOU (8% Owned) @ Tim Lincecum (R), SF
Back to the well, baby! Apparently people still haven't realized that in the last month, Ortiz has pitched 32 innings, struck out 23 batters, and posted a 1.97 ERA paired with a 1.03 WHIP. Three consecutive Quality Starts, and he goes for his fourth tomorrow in San Fran against Los Gigantes, which remains in line with my theme of starting guys against the AL and NL West. In case we've forgotten, the Giants have scored the 4th fewest Runs in all of Major League Baseball, and have the 3rd lowest team OPS, under .700. Houston is unlikely to score against Lincecum who simply refuses to allow runs, but Ortiz should be able to limit San Francisco, and put up another Quality Start paired with a few Ks, even if he doesn't stand much of a chance at the W. Ortiz is a major underdog, +170, but the Total Run line is all the way down at 7, so don't expect many runs from either side, which is a good sign for spot starting.

Brad Penny (R), BOS (43% Owned) vs Garrett Olson (L), SEA
If you're desperate for a Win, unlike Ortiz above, Penny is the guy you want. He's a -200 favorite against Seattle, the league's 2nd worst offense by Runs scored. Penny's been pretty solid this past month, notching 28.1 innings to the tune of a 3.18 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, tacking 21 strikeouts on for good measure. He's struggled to get through 6, but I think he manages tomorrow in Boston. The Total Run line is an average 9.5, but I think a lot of that will be the Sox pounding on Olson, as Penny has allowed 2, 3, 0, and 0 Earned Runs in his last four starts.

Chien-Ming Wang (R), NYY (44% Owned) vs Roy Halladay (R), TOR
What team has the 24th ranked OPS among all 30 Major League Baseball clubs over the last week? Why that's right, it's the Toronto Blue Jays, storming in at .657, with just a measly 17 Runs scored in 6 Games over that span, which ranks ahead of only Detroit and Kansas City. Wang has yet to get through six whole innings this year, but when he finished 5.1 against the New York Mets last week, allowing just 2 Earned Runs, it was the deepest he's gone into a game this season. It was also his first Win of the 2009 season, which if you would have said back in March that Wang would get his first Win on June 28th without a major injury, you would have been laughed at. So, I think tomorrow Wang takes the leap, and finishes 6 strong innings of 1 or 2 Run ball, notching his first Quality Start of this season. With the way Toronto's offense has looked so pedestrian lately, I am hoping the trip to Coors East isn't what sparks them against a guy who is usually a ground ball machine. You'd think facing Halladay, who has arguably been the league's best pitcher, Wang would be a massive underdog, yet he's just a +115, with a Total Run Line of 9.

So there you go, three solid options to make up for my recent absence. Happy hunting.

Until we let freedom ring...