On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups
Minnesota Twins (46-43) vs. Oakland Athletics (44-45)-8:10PM Est.
There's really no point in the Athletics even showing up to the Metrodome tonight. It's after the All-Star break, and Johan Santana is on the mound. In case you weren't aware of it, in the last three seasons Santana is 32-3 after the All-Star break. It's pretty obvious that Johan could smell it coming over the last few weeks, because in his last four starts he's 4-0 with a 1.29 ERA. Lenny DiNardo makes the start for the Athletics, who much like the Twins, are a second half team. Of course, right now the A's sit farther out of first place or the Wild Card to start the second half than they have since 1998. Keep in mind though, that Johan Santana hadn't lost a game at the Metrodome since like 1937 before the A's beat him in Game 1 of the ALDS last season, so they know how to do it. If they are going to make their annual run, a win against Santana would be a nice way to get it started.
Chicago Cubs (44-43) vs. Houston Astros (39-50)-2:20PM Est.
While we all sit and wait for Bud Selig to tell Mark Cuban he can take his application and shove it, the Cubs must focus on making up the 4.5 games that seperate them from the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central. They have the right man going to the mound to take on such an endeavor this afternoon, as Carlos Zambrano will get the start for the Cubbies. All of which is horrible news for Astros fans. Zambrano is 4-0 with a 0.46 ERA in five starts against Houston since last season. As if that wasn't embarrassing enough for the Astros hitters, he's also hit four home runs off of Astros pitching in that time span. Jason Jennings gets the privilege of trying to deny him number 5 this afternoon.
San Francisco Giants (38-48) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (49-40)-10:15PM Est.
Now that the All-Star Game has passed, and the Giants don't seem to have much of a shot of getting back into the NL West race, there isn't much left in this season for Giants fans to get excited about. Obviously there's Barry Bonds and his chase of Aaron, but other than that, it's just their chance to boo the Dodgers. Matt Cain starts for the Gigantes with a very respectable 3.53 ERA, though it hasn't done much for his record which currently sits at 3-9. Chad Billingsley starts for the Dodgers, and he's 5-0 with a 3.62 ERA on the season. In case you're wondering, and I'm sure you are, Bonds only has one career hit against Billingsley. Of course, it was a home run.
