MLB Preview

Detroit Tigers (60-41) at Los Angeles Angels (58-42)

Friday, 10:05 pm Eastern

Opening Line: Angels -140, Total 9 flat

Two division leaders begin a three game series on Friday when the Detroit Tigers face the Los Angeles Angels.  Nate Robertson gets the start for Detroit while Jered Weaver goes for the Angels.  Robertson has pitched better of late but still gave up four runs in his last start against Kansas City. 
 

The Angels go with Jered Weaver on Friday night. He is 6-5 with an ERA of 3.30 on the season.  He is coming off a seven inning performance giving up only five hits and a walk while striking out two. He hasn't given up more than three earned runs in any of his past seven starts but has very little to show for it.  He is 2-2 in those games.  He lost to the Tigers on April 23, giving up 7 runs in 1 2/3 innings.

The Angels are -140 favorites with a total of 9 Over (-120) .

The Tigers will try and recover from a tough series against Chicago where they lost three out of five games. Star slugger Gary Sheffield was out of the lineup on Thursday as rookie Ryan Raburn hit third. Raburn, who has only appeared in nine games this season with Detroit, was surprised to be hitting third. "Of course, when you walk in the door you see the lineup sitting right there," Raburn said. "I went to see where I was hitting, and I looked at the top and I looked at the bottom and my name wasn't there. I looked in the middle and there I was. I thought it might have been a joke, but it is a great honor to be hitting third."

Raburn homered twice and drove in seven runs in Detroit's 13-9 win over the White Sox on Wednesday. The seven RBIs were the most by any Tigers player since Carlos Pena drove in seven runs on May 19, 2003. Tigers manager Jim Leyland gave him the start again on Thursday. "I'm going to use him," Leyland said, "I like Raburn's approach. He doesn't get too excited. You know you are always going to get the effort and he is always going to be ready. He is always going to be prepared. It is pretty good stuff." Sheffield had a cortisone shot in his sore shoulder on Wednesday but hopes to be back on Friday.

The Angels have one of their own sluggers who is in a slump.  Vladimir Guerrero, is in the midst of a 24-game, 97-at-bat homerless drought (the longest of his career). He's smashed only a pair of roundtrippers in his last 43 games. He's been held to seven home runs since hitting seven in April. "He's going to be fine," Angels manager Scioscia said of Guerrero. "It is a home run drought for Vlad, but he's still been as productive as he could be. We haven't been setting the table as much for him, so some of his production numbers have been a little light."

The Tigers are 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a team with a winning record. The Tigers are 5-1 in their last 6 games as an underdog. The Tigers are 4-1 in their last 5 games as a road underdog. The Tigers are 11-4 in their last 15 road games vs. a right-handed starter. The Tigers are 19-7 in their last 26 road games. The Tigers are 13-6 in their last 19 overall. The Tigers are 1-4 in their last 5 games vs. a right-handed starter. The Tigers are 9-19 in Robertson's last 28 starts as an underdog. The Tigers are 9-23 in Robertson's last 32 road starts. The Tigers are 2-6 in Robertson's last 8 starts. The Tigers are 5-15 in Robertson's last 20 starts as a road underdog. The Tigers are 6-20 in the last 26 meetings in Los Angeles. The Tigers are 1-5 in Robertson's last 6 starts vs. the Angels.

The Angels are 8-1 in their last 9 home games vs. a team with a winning record. The Angels are 9-3 in their last 12 Friday games. The Angels are 17-8 in their last 25 home games vs. a left-handed starter. The Angels are 3-7 in their last 10 overall. The Angels are 1-4 in their last 5 games as a favorite. The Angels are 1-6 in their last 7 vs. the American League Central. The Angels are 0-5 in their last 5 games vs. a left-handed starter. The Angels are 4-1 in Weaver's last 5 Friday starts. The Angels are 7-3 in Weaver's last 10 home starts. The Angels are 0-4 in Weaver's last 4 starts. The Angels are 0-4 in Weaver's last 4 starts as a favorite.

The Over is 8-2-1 in the Tigers last 11 Friday games. The Over is 17-5-3 in the Tigers last 25 vs. the American League West. The Under is 5-2 in the Tigers last 7 games as an underdog. The Over is 5-2 in the Tigers last 7 overall. The Under is 5-0 in Robertson's last 5 starts as a road underdog. The Under is 20-7-1 in Robertson's last 28 road starts. The Under is 7-3-1 in Robertson's last 11 starts vs. the American League West. The Over is 5-1 in Robertson's last 6 starts vs. the Angels.

The Under is 14-3-2 in the Angels last 19 home games vs. a left-handed starter. The  Under is 4-0-1 in Weaver's last 5 starts overall. The Under is 4-0-1 in Weaver's last 5 starts as a favorite. The Under is 5-1 in Weaver's last 6 starts vs. the American League Central. The Over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between the two teams. The Under is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings in Los Angeles.