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Sunday, September 16 Go to:  

  Jacobs Field | 1:05 PM ET
KC Billy Buckner, RHP (0-1, 5.29)
Royals (64-84) 		  @   CLE Aaron Laffey, LHP (3-1, 5.29)
Indians (87-62)

Scouting Report:
Royals: Once past his first-start jitters, Buckner turned in a much more polished performance in his second start last Monday night. He held the Twins to three runs and three hits in 5 1/3 innings, was more aggressive and showed a good sinker. On the down side, he threw too many pitches (95) and walked too many (five). But manager Buddy Bell pronounced himself very impressed with Buckner, a late-August callup who should have a good shot at the 2008 rotation.

Indians: Laffey will be awfully well-rested by the time he takes the mound against the Tigers. It will be his first outing since Sept. 9 in Anaheim , when he limited the Angels to two runs (one earned) on six hits over five innings. The Indians skipped him in the rotation after Thursday's off day. Laffey has provided a nice pick-me-up in the spot of the rotation formerly occupied by Cliff Lee. He does, however, need to be more efficient with his pitches. Laffey won his lone career start against Kansas City earlier this year, allow two runs over six innings.


  Rogers Centre | 1:07 PM ET
BAL Victor Santos, RHP (1-5, 5.75)
Orioles (64-84) 		  @   TOR Shaun Marcum, RHP (12-6, 4.11)
Blue Jays (74-75)

Scouting Report:
Orioles: Santos got knocked out early in his Baltimore debut, when he allowed seven hits and five earned runs before completing three innings. Santos, who was acquired on a waiver claim and resulting purchase from his previous organization, hadn't started in the big leagues since last September. The Orioles are counting on him to get deeper in the game next time, but they don't have many other options in case he can't make it.

Blue Jays: Marcum had his recent woes continue in his last start against the Yankees, surrendering eight runs on eight hits over just 4 1/3 innings. His biggest mistake of the night came in the fifth inning, when he surrendered a grand slam to New York first baseman Jason Giambi. After going 9-2 with a 2.91 ERA in his first 18 starts of the season, Marcum is now just 2-2 with an 8.49 ERA over his past five outings. He is 0-1 with a 7.91 ERA in five career games against the Orioles.


  Shea Stadium | 1:10 PM ET
PHI Adam Eaton, RHP (9-9, 6.31)
Phillies (80-69) 		  @   NYM Oliver Perez, LHP (14-9, 3.42)
Mets (83-65)

Scouting Report:
Phillies: Eaton has been a major disappointment this season, but he's been a superstar against the Mets. The right-hander is 2-0 with a 2.89 ERA in three outings vs. New York this season and 5-0 with a 2.08 ERA for his career. If he continues that trend, he'll help his teammates pull closer to their NL East rivals.

Mets: Perez was dominant in last Monday's win over the Braves, crediting a more stable arm slot for better location. He made just one major mistake -- a two-run home run to Brian McCann -- and escaped with no further damage in seven innings at Shea Stadium. He'll make his second start of the homestand against the Phillies, who have defeated him twice this year in two tries.


  Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium | 1:35 PM ET
ATL Tim Hudson, RHP (15-8, 3.48)
Braves (76-73) 		  @   WSH Shawn Hill, RHP (4-3, 2.87)
Nationals (66-83)

Scouting Report:
Braves: In the four starts Hudson has made since winning nine straight decisions, he's 0-3 with a 6.65 ERA. He's surrendered nine homers this season, and four of them have come in the 18 innings he's completed during his past three starts. He is 3-0 with an 0.86 ERA in three starts against the Nationals this year.

Nationals: Hill scattered two runs (one earned) over six innings to beat the Marlins his last time out. It was the right-hander's first win since May 11. He allowed six hits, struck out four and didn't walk a batter. Hill has allowed three earned runs or fewer in all but one of his starts this season. He has never faced the Braves.


  U.S. Cellular Field | 2:05 PM ET
LAA Joe Saunders, LHP (8-3, 3.97)
Angels (87-62) 		  @   CWS Mark Buehrle, LHP (9-9, 3.39)
White Sox (64-85)

Scouting Report:
Angels: Saunders struggled in his last outing at Baltimore on Tuesday -- giving up four runs on 10 hits in five-plus innings -- but still picked up his career-high eighth victory. Saunders' control has been good, with only 25 walks in 90 2/3 innings, but he's definitely not a strikeout pitcher, having collected only 53 Ks. He's gone at least five innings in all 15 of his starts during four stints with the Angels.

White Sox: Buehrle has not pitched since Sept. 6 in Detroit, when his strong seven innings of work went for naught due to a rare Bobby Jenks blown save. Buehrle needs 11 1/3 innings and one win to mark his seventh straight season with 200 innings pitched and double-digit victories. Buehrle has posted a 3-5 record with a 3.95 ERA since the All-Star break, and he has an 0-1 record against the Angels this season. Buehrle stands at 1-4 lifetime when facing Los Angeles.


  Miller Park | 2:05 PM ET
CIN Matt Belisle, RHP (8-8, 5.31)
Reds (68-81) 		  @   MIL Carlos Villanueva, RHP (7-4, 4.42)
Brewers (76-72)

Scouting Report:
Reds: In a 7-2 Reds win over the Cardinals on Tuesday, Belisle began his night by giving up a second-pitch, leadoff homer to David Eckstein but enjoyed a solid outing. He allowed two earned runs and six hits over seven innings with two walks and five strikeouts. The only other run Belisle allowed was Ryan Ludwick's homer with two outs in the fourth inning.

Brewers: Villanueva escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fourth inning but was not as lucky in the fifth in his last start against Pittsburgh. Villanueva surrendered a ground-rule double that hit the chalk down the left-field line, then a Nate McLouth home run that bounced into the Allegheny River outside PNC Park. But in his previous start, he returned to the rotation and beat the Astros with six strong innings. Villanueva has a 3.38 ERA in seven career appearances against Cincinnati, two of them starts.


  Minute Maid Park | 2:05 PM ET
PIT Paul Maholm, LHP (10-14, 4.32)
Pirates (66-83) 		  @   HOU Brandon Backe, RHP (0-1, 5.91)
Astros (65-84)

Scouting Report:
Pirates: Maholm returns to the rotation after missing three starts with lower back pain. Bucs manager Jim Tracy was pleased with a recent bullpen session by Maholm. "It was really good," Tracy said. "The biggest thing that we are pleased about is, with the time he's been down, to walk out there and he got himself right back into the mechanical mode that he was in before."

Astros: Backe threw 97 pitches in his most recent outing on Sept. 11 against the Cubs, allowing four earned runs over five innings. Making his second start since coming back from Tommy John surgery, the right-hander yielded a three-run homer to Mark DeRosa, which put the Cubs ahead 4-1. Backe has seven career appearances against the Pirates. He has a 3-1 record and a 2.83 ERA over 28 2/3 innings in those outings.


  Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 2:10 PM ET
DET Jair Jurrjens, RHP (2-1, 3.15)
Tigers (83-67) 		  @   MIN Scott Baker, RHP (9-7, 4.17)
Twins (72-77)

Scouting Report:
Tigers: As long as Jurrjens felt fine after his five innings of one-run ball Tuesday night in his return from the disabled list, he was going to be in Detroit's depleted rotation down the stretch. The choice for manager Jim Leyland was to have him face the Twins, who haven't seen him yet, rather than the Indians for the third time in about a month. The Rangers hadn't seen him before, and he cooled off their red-hot offense Tuesday with a change of speeds and several broken bats.

Twins: Baker allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings to earn the win against the Royals on Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium. Baker, who came within three outs of a perfect game in his previous start against the Royals and finished with a complete-game one-hitter, allowed 10 hits and one walk but yielded three runs or fewer for the eighth time in nine starts. Baker is 8-5 with two complete games in his 16 starts. He is 0-1 with a 18.90 ERA in one career start against the Rangers.


  Busch Stadium | 2:15 PM ET
CHC Jason Marquis, RHP (11-8, 4.17)
Cubs (78-72) 		  @   STL Mark Mulder, LHP (0-2, 12.38)
Cardinals (70-78)

Scouting Report:
Cubs: Marquis was "so-so" according to Lou Piniella after his last start against the Astros. He gave up four runs on eight hits over five-plus innings, and struck out one. The right-hander is now 1-1 in his last four road starts, giving up nine earned runs in 24 innings. He'll be pitching on a familiar mound, having started for St. Louis last year. He's 1-1 at Busch this year.

Cardinals: The Cardinals coaching staff was willing to give Mulder a mulligan for a rough second start, thanks to some defensive hijinks behind him. Even so, Mulder walked three batters in four innings and left the ball up more than he ought to. He's still a work in progress, without a doubt, but the club remains optimistic that Mulder will contribute to some wins before the year is out.


  Coors Field | 3:05 PM ET
FLA Scott Olsen, LHP (9-13, 5.81)
Marlins (65-84) 		  @   COL Franklin Morales, LHP (1-2, 4.84)
Rockies (77-72)

Scouting Report:
Marlins: In his last start, Olsen was pitching on eight days' rest to help work on some mechanical struggles. He then went out and gave up four runs in five innings, logging 119 pitches, in a loss to the Nationals. The 23-year-old has now dropped four straight decisions since he last won on Aug. 5 against the Astros. Struggling with command remains an issue, as Olsen walked five and gave up seven hits against the Nationals.

Rockies: Morales displayed a well-spotted fastball and outstanding change-of-pace pitches while going five shutout innings in his first Major League victory, over the Phillies on Tuesday night. Morales pitched out of a fourth-inning jam against the heart of the Phils' lineup.


  PETCO Park | 4:05 PM ET
SF Tim Lincecum, RHP (7-4, 3.99)
Giants (66-83) 		  @   SD Jake Peavy, RHP (17-6, 2.44)
Padres (81-67)

Scouting Report:
Giants: After lasting only three innings at Colorado on Sept. 4 in the briefest start of his career, Lincecum recovered last Monday against Arizona to work 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits. Lincecum was removed after throwing 100 pitches, reflecting the Giants' intent to preserve the 23-year-old's arm. With Thursday's scheduled off-day, Lincecum will receive an extra rest for the third start in a row. Lincecum allowed four hits in seven shutout innings on June 25 in his only other start against the Padres as the Giants won, 4-3, in 11 innings.

Padres: After suffering a loss to the D-backs last week, Peavy was back to his usual form on Tuesday night in the series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers. After five-days rest, the ace was pitching his team to a critical win. He came out with the victory along with the Padres who beat the Dodgers, 9-4. Peavy tossed seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits while walking two and striking out five. He improved his career record against the Dodgers to 9-1. He is 4-1 at Dodger Stadium. He continues to lead the majors in ERA (2.44) and has the most wins in the National League with 17.


  Safeco Field | 4:05 PM ET
TB Andy Sonnanstine, RHP (5-9, 5.96)
Devil Rays (63-87) 		  @   SEA Jarrod Washburn, LHP (9-14, 4.49)
Mariners (78-70)

Scouting Report:
Rays: On the heels of Tampa Bay's 1-0 victory at Fenway Park on Monday, Sonnanstine started a game that bore a much uglier final result of 16-9. Still, the 24-year-old Rays starter was responsible for only five runs and eight of an eventual 20 Boston hits over 3 1/3 innings in the shortest outing of his career. He and the Rays' bullpen will be looking for a better result against the Mariners on Sunday.

Mariners: Washburn struggled against the A's on Tuesday, allowing six runs on eight hits and five walks over 5 2/3 innings. He lost the strike zone in the first, allowing two bases-loaded walks and a two-run single, and again struggled in the sixth before coming out of the game after throwing 122 pitches. He beat Tampa Bay once this season, a 5-2 decision on May 22, and has a 10-2 career record against the Devil Rays.


  McAfee Coliseum | 4:05 PM ET
TEX Vicente Padilla, RHP (6-9, 5.70)
Rangers (70-79) 		  @   OAK Lenny DiNardo, LHP (8-9, 3.87)
Athletics (74-77)

Scouting Report:
Rangers: Padilla gave up three hits over six shutout innings in his last start on Tuesday against the Tigers. All of the hits allowed by Padilla were infield singles, and he was pulled after 99 pitches the Rangers leading 10-0. Padilla has not faced the A's this season, but is 3-1 with a 4.42 ERA in six career games against Oakland.

A's: DiNardo gave up seven runs (three earned) in 1 2/3 innings Sunday against the Rangers in Arlington. He came back from a 73-minute rain delay after a scoreless first inning to give up seven runs in the second, throwing 53 total pitches. DiNardo already has faced Texas five times this season, and is 2-2 with a 3.43 ERA. In seven career games against the Rangers, the left-hander is 2-2 with a 3.08 ERA.


  Dodger Stadium | 4:10 PM ET
ARI Edgar Gonzalez, RHP (7-2, 4.76)
Diamondbacks (84-66) 		  @   LAD Esteban Loaiza, RHP (2-1, 4.32)
Dodgers (79-70)

Scouting Report:
D-backs: Gonzalez made his first start since June 26 last Tuesday in San Francisco and came up with a stellar performance. The right-hander allowed just one run on three hits over six innings of work. He did not factor in the decision as he left with the game tied at one. Gonzalez studies opponent's scouting reports and has a good feel for how to attack their hitters. That was evident against the Giants when he worked quickly and threw 51 of his 72 pitches for strikes.

Dodgers: After a decent debut, he threw in a clunker at Dodger Stadium and blamed the umpire's strike zone. He walked the first two batters he faced but also allowed three home runs, two of them when he was ahead in the count. Two starts would seem to be too soon to make a judgment on him, although the Dodgers made the judgment to claim him off waivers based on only two starts after he spent the first four months of the season on the disabled list.


  Fenway Park | 8:05 PM ET
NYY Roger Clemens, RHP (6-6, 4.45)
Yankees (84-64) 		  @   BOS Curt Schilling, RHP (8-7, 3.93)
Red Sox (90-59)

Scouting Report:
Yankees: Could it finally be? Clemens insists it will be, though after having a pair of cortisone injections in his right elbow, his first Fenway Park start since 2003 could be a game-time decision. The Red Sox faithful are certainly salivating for a chance to bat around the Rocket, but the Yankees are just hoping that Clemens has a few more bullets left in his 45-year-old arm. Clemens claimed his last start was like throwing with a piece of wood. He'd need to be wary of a Boston lineup that can certainly wield the lumber.

Red Sox: Despite being winless in his past three starts, Schilling has been pitching well. In his last outing, he allowed just one run and five hits in a 1-0 loss to Scott Kazmir and the Devil Rays. Schilling has allowed seven runs in his past four starts. He is 3-2 with a 4.21 ERA in 11 starts at Fenway Park this season. Schilling is 0-2 with a 5.76 ERA in four starts against the Yankees this season.