Old rivals highlight MLB slate

Major League Baseball's pennant races are in full bloom as we roll into August. And what could be better than important games matching old rivals? Here's a quick look at a couple of this weekend's more interesting series.

In the American League, the Boston Red Sox visit the Bronx for a four-game series with their good friends, the New York Yankees, beginning Thursday night. And over in the National League, the Atlanta Braves, trying to stay relevant in the NL wild-card race, hit LA for a four-game set with the West-leading Dodgers.

Going into a quick two-game series in Tampa starting Tuesday night, Boston has won four games in a row, after sweeping three games from Baltimore over the weekend. But the Sox are only 8-8 since the All-Star break.

New York, meanwhile, going into a two-game series in Toronto starting Tuesday, just dropped three of four games to the White Sox in Chicago over the weekend. Still, the Yanks are 12-5 since the break. So going into Tuesday, the Pinstripes lead the Red Sox by a half-game in the AL East, but they trail the Los Angeles Angels by one game in the race for the best record in the American League.

Boston will throw John Smoltz at the Yanks on Thursday (7 ET), Josh Beckett Friday (7 ET), probably Clay Buchholz Saturday (4:10 pm ET, Fox) and probably Brad Penny Sunday (8 pm ET, ESPN), while New York will go with Joba Chamberlain, AJ Burnett, and CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte either Saturday or Sunday.

The Red Sox are a sparkling 16-5 when Beckett starts this year, but are just 14-17 when Smoltz, Buchholz and Penny start. Meanwhile, the Yankees are a combined 53-32 when their Big Four of Joba, AJ, CC, and AP hit the hill.

The totals are 25-24 in games played at the new Yankee Stadium this year, which are averaging 10.5 runs per, fourth-most among all ML ballparks.

As of Tuesday morning, Oddsmaker.com is listing both Boston and New York at -125 to win the AL East this year. The Yanks are also listed at +150 to win the AL pennant, and at +400 to win the World Series, while the Sox are getting +300 to win the pennant and +400 to win the Series.

After dropping the opener of a three-game series in San Diego Monday night, Atlanta has lost five of its last seven games. But the Braves are 10-8 since the All-Star break. So going into Tuesday's play, Atlanta sits in third place in the NL East, 7.5 games back of the division-leading Philadelphia Phillies. And the Braves are 5.5 games behind the Colorado Rockies in the NL wild-card standings.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, after losing the opener of a three-game set to Milwaukee Monday night, are just 9-9 since the break. Still, they lead the NL West by 6.5 games over second-place Colorado, and they're 4.5 games ahead of Philly in the race for the best record in the National League.

Atlanta will send Derek Lowe to the mound Thursday (10 ET), Jair Jurrjens Friday (10 ET), probably Kenshin Kawakami Saturday (10 ET) and probably Javier Vazquez Sunday (4:10 ET), while LA will counter with Randy Wolf, Chad Billingsley, probably Clayton Kershaw and probably Hiroki Kuroda.

The Braves are 14-9 when Lowe starts this year, but just 30-34 when Jurrjens, Kawakami and Vazquez take the mound. On the other side of this pitching match-up, the Dodgers have winning records when each of their slated starters for this weekend (Wolf 13-10, Billingsley 15-8, Kershaw 12-10 and Kuroda 7-5) take the pill.

The totals are 23-25 in games played at Dodger Stadium this season, which are averaging 8.1 runs, sixth-least among all ML ballparks.

As of Tuesday morning, Oddsmaker.com is offering the Braves at +1,000 to win the NL East this year, +1,000 to win the NL wild-card race, +1,200 to win the NL pennant and +2,000 to win the World Series. Oddsmaker is also listing the Dodgers at -5,000 to win the NL West, +150 to win the pennant and +600 to win the Series.

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