INDIANS (Anderson) @ PIRATES (Locke)
Take: PIRATES -114
Okay, let’s get the bad stuff out of the way right off the bat. I’m backing Jeff Locke and I’m trying to get the best of rookie Cody Anderson and a surging Indians team.
I can’t really make a compelling case for Locke. There’s just not any way to do so without appearing ridiculous. Locke is at best a six inning keep the team in the game type. At worst, Locke is a blowup who can be forced out of the game far earlier than his teammates would like.
The crux of this play is against Cody Anderson. The rookie has been quite a story since being promoted. Two very strong results, both against the Rays, and Anderson actually was flirting with a no-hitter last time out.
But Anderson has also been getting a wee bit fortunate in his major league infancy. He’s not one who has missed many bats, and right now everything that’s hit is being done so directly at someone. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been impressed with the less than spectacular contact being made off his pitches. Nevertheless, a .149 BABIP is a correction waiting to happen.
As for the team elements, Cleveland is on its best roll of the season, but the Pirates have also been playing well of late. The Indians are a little less potent against lefties, so perhaps Locke can have one of his respectable outings tonight. The Pirates are considerably better against righties than southpaws, so that should be a plus for them tonight.
Anderson might well be on one of those rookie rolls that get really hard to explain. But I think he’s stepping up in class tonight at Pittsburgh, and it’s my assessment that the Pirates are a decent option as cheap home chalk tonight.
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