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AL Central: Tigers halfway home

Baseball Betting Lines

07/09/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - We are just past the halfway point of the Major League Baseball season and the Detroit Tigers are right where they want to be; atop the American League Central standings.

The Tigers have gotten off to a hot start in July, having won five of six this month following their three-game sweep of the Baltimore Orioles this week. Most importantly, they've been getting contributions from top to bottom.

Wednesday night against Baltimore, Tigers' starter Max Scherzer pitched seven innings of one-run ball, scattering six hits while striking out six. It was his fourth consecutive victory, marking a career-high. Indeed, Scherzer has enjoyed a sweet redemption in the Motor City. Back in mid-May, Scherzer was demoted to Triple-A Toledo with a 1-4 record and a 7.29 ERA.

He had even dubbed himself a "Five and Dive guy" for his frequent high pitch counts and subsequent inability to get past the fifth inning. But that is no more as Scherzer is 5-2 with a 2.44 ERA since his return, averaging 11 strikeouts per nine innings.

Another guy who has been a major sparkplug to the team's recent surge is veteran Johnny Damon, who is hitting .304 in July and reached a milestone with his 2,500th career hit in the third inning of Wednesday's game. However, it was career hit No. 2,501 which will have a more lasting memory. Damon propelled the Tigers to a 7-5 win over the Orioles with a walk-off homer in the 11th inning.

"The 2,500 ball is going to go in my trophy case," he said after the game. "But 2,501 is definitely going to be the one I remember that helped this team win a crucial ballgame."

An even bigger catalyst has been Miguel Cabrera, who has his sights set on a Triple Crown. Entering Wednesday's game, Cabrera was leading the majors in batting average (.347), homers (21) and RBI (73). But later that night, Toronto's Jose Bautista surpassed him with his 22nd homer of the year, albeit an inside-the-parker. Cabrera has also hit safely in 16 straight games, which is one shy of his career high, set last season.

Next up for the Tigers is a weekend home series with the Minnesota Twins leading into the All-Star break. Minnesota was recently leapfrogged in the division standings by the Chicago White Sox, winners of five straight.

The Tigers have been able to take care of struggling teams. Wednesday's sweep of the Orioles wrapped up Detroit's streak of six straight home series against last-place teams. The Tigers compiled a 15-3 mark during that stretch.

ROYALS CLOSING FIRST HALF WITH A BANG

The Kansas City Royals (39-46) are sending a message that they intend to hang around in the AL Central race. They've won three straight and five of six so far in the month of July. Overall, they've won 10 of their last 13.

The only problem is, they haven't been able to gain any ground. The first- place Tigers (46-37) have won three straight and seven of 10, while the second-place White Sox (46-38) have won five in a row. As a result, the Royals' deficit in the division standings is still eight games, but they'll have a chance to close some ground this weekend as they head to Chicago for a three-game set with their division rival.

Usually by this time, most sports fans in Kansas City have shifted their attention away from the Royals and toward the start of Chiefs training camp. Earlier this week, the Royals swept the Mariners in Seattle for the first time in 15 years. But how does this hot streak affect the team's eye toward the future? Will manager Ned Yost continue to play veterans at the expense of younger guys who need the at-bats?

"Realistically, if you can get it down to somewhere between four and six games with two months to play, you've got a chance," general manager Dayton Moore told the Kansas City Star.

The real question is, if the Royals manage to achieve that type of deficit by the end of the month, will Moore suddenly become a buyer at the trade deadline and part with some coveted prospects for help now?

WHITE SOX SUFFER MAJOR BLOW

When White Sox starter Jake Peavy abruptly walked off the mound after feeling a strange sensation in the back of his pitching shoulder during the second inning of Tuesday night's game with the Angels, fans throughout Chicago's South Side collectively held their breath.

As it turns out, the injury suffered by Peavy appears to be quite serious, and likely, season ending. That will ultimately hinge on a second and third opinion for what has been diagnosed as a detached latissimus dorsi muscle. Obviously, that's a major blow for a team has won five in a row to move to within a half-game of first place in the AL Central.

Over his last six starts, Peavy had compiled a 1.67 ERA and was pitching like the ace he was brought to Chicago to be. Most surprisingly, he was dominating on the mound despite some arm budding arm problems. After complaining of a dead arm a few weeks ago, Peavy underwent an MRI, which revealed fluid build- up in his pitching elbow. Although his next start was pushed back a couple of days, Peavy did not go on the DL, a decision that was reached after extensive internal discussions. In his previous start leading up to Tuesday, he felt something grab in the back of his shoulder, which yielded some bruising in the area. Still, after receiving some treatment, Peavy pitched on.

"I don't think anyone is at fault here -- myself for wanting to be out there or the team for letting me be out there," Peavy said.

No word from general manager Kenny Williams on how the injury will alter his trade deadline plans. For now, Daniel Hudson figures to be called up from Triple-A Charlotte to replace Peavy in the rotation, although nothing has been decided. Hudson was pulled out of the Futures Game on Sunday, leading to speculation that he'd be the man to fill Peavy's shoes, for now.

TWINS TRYING TO STOP THE BLEEDING

Less than a week ago, the Minnesota Twins were a fist-place team in the American League Central. But as we've learned over the years, things can change very quickly in this division. Entering this weekend's final series before the All-Star break, the Twins (45-40) find themselves in third place, two games back of Detroit.

However, by the end of the weekend, it's possible they could be right back in the driver's seat. The Twins head to the Motor City to kick off a three-game set with the division-leading Tigers Friday. And Minnesota is hell-bent on heading into the break the same way they've spent much of the season's first half; atop the division.

The series opener presents a marquee pitching matchup between Minnesota's Francisco Liriano and Detroit's Justin Verlander. In his last outing, Liriano went seven innings and allowed one run on four hits, fanning 10 against the Rays last Saturday. He'll need to bring his A-game Friday for a Minnesota squad that is a bit banged up at the moment.

First baseman Justin Morneau was held out of Thursday's lineup after taking a knee to the head on Wednesday night. Also on Wednesday night, left fielder Delmon Young sprained his left wrist during an outfield collision with Denard Span, though Young was back in the lineup Thursday.

CARMONA ENJOYING REBOUND SEASON FOR TRIBE

When he burst onto the scene with a 19-8 record and a 3.06 ERA as a 24-year- old in 2007, Indians starter Fausto Carmona was dubbed the next big thing in Cleveland. But injuries derailed his 2008 season, and last year he pitched so poorly he was demoted to the rookie-level Arizona League to try and regain his form.

Consider the first half of this season as evidence that Carmona has, in fact, rediscovered his mojo. Through 17 starts this year, he has compiled a 3.69 ERA and has tossed two complete games. Next week in Anaheim, he will be Cleveland's lone representative in the 2010 All-Star game, which will be his first as a pro.

Carmona was a manager's selection by New York Yankees coach Joe Girardi, who will manage the American League All-Stars. However, Carmona was mild-mannered about the news, which was delivered on a day when he lost to the A's, 3-1 despite another quality start.

"He's 7-7 now," pitching coach Tim Belcher said. "That doesn't sound all that impressive. But after (Sunday), that's now four losses with a quality start, and he's had three no-decisions with quality starts. He could very easily have as many as 13 wins and, quite conservatively, could have 10 or 11."