On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups
Boston Red Sox (29-19) vs. Kansas City Royals (21-24) - 7:05PM Est.
Let's take a look at how the first two games of this series have gone for the Kansas City Royals. On Monday they were no-hit by Jon Lester, and on Tuesday they were beaten by rookie Justin Masterson as he picked up the first win of his Major League career.
Today things get no better as the Royals are preparing to uncomfortably bend over an examining table, and get their colon's checked by the Round Mound of...um...Pounds? That's right! Bartolo Colon is back, and he's ready to make his very first start as a member of Red Sox Nation.
Will he be responsible for the Royals leaving Boston walking uncomfortably, or will the Royals come out of their check-up with flying colors and salvage a game in Beantown?
Ever since winning the AL Cy Young in 2005, Bartolo's been plagued by injuries the last few seasons, but looks to get his career back on track for the Red Sox tonight. The Sawx have won five in a row to get back in front of Tampa Bay in the AL East, and they're also looking to win their ninth straight game at Fenway Park.
Bartolo did go 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA in two starts for Pawtucket, but it should also be mentioned that he missed a start with an oblique strain. So as a Red Sox fan you can look at it two ways. One, you're a little cautious about Bartolo and have tempered expectations, or two, you can look at it like Colon's already in mid-season form.
The Royals will counter with Brett Tomko who just ended a personal four-game losing streak in his last start against the Marlins on Friday. Brett hasn't faced Boston since 2003, and that start as a St. Louis Cardinal didn't go so well, as he allowed nine runs in two innings.
Florida Marlins (25-19) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (28-17) - 7:10PM Est.
Is Brandon Webb capable of losing a game? I honestly don't know. He's won his first nine starts of the season so far, and is looking to become the first pitcher since Andy Hawkins (whom I'll always remember for throwing a no-hitter and losing to the White Sox) started off 10-0 in 1985.
The Diamondbacks are hoping Brandon can do it, as they'd like to end their current four-game skid on the road. Brandon will need to be dominant this afternoon, as Arizona's bats have gone pretty cold recently, as they've only managed 11 runs in their last five road games.
The Marlins will send Ricky Nolasco to the mound, and though he's only 2-3 with a 5.18 ERA this season, he's allowed only two runs or less in three of his last four outings. Unfortunately, none of Ricky's outings this season have lasted longer than six innings.
New York Yankees (20-25) vs. Baltimore Orioles (24-20) - 7:05PM Est.
We came pretty damn close to re-living the Great Depression on Tuesday night. You see, the Yankees are in last place in the AL East, and though they got Alex Rodriguez back in the lineup yesterday, they nearly lost the captain after Derek Jeter was hit in the left hand by a pitch and had to leave the game.
All over New York, Yankees fans began flinging themselves out of windows to the traffic filled streets below. A life without Jeet just isn't a life worth living. If only Jeter had gotten hurt before that throwing error that led to seven Orioles runs. Anyway, those who did throw themselves out of the windows should have been more patient, as even though the injury looked bad, Jeter is expected to be back in the lineup today.
When he steps into the box he'll be hoping Orioles starter Garrett Olson doesn't throw at that hand. Olson is 3-0 on the season, and he looks to help keep Baltimore rolling as the Orioles have won eight of their last ten. This will be Garrett's first time facing the Yankees.
Darrell Rasner starts for the Yankees, and he's looking to put an end to New York's four-game losing streak. He's won both of his starts since joining the team on May 5th, and he'd like to keep that going tonight. Of course, he's faced the Orioles twice in his career, and he's 0-2 with a 13.50 ERA so I'm not so sure he'll be able to do it.
Everybody Else
- Rockies vs. Giants - 3:05PM
- A's vs. Rays - 3:35PM
- Braves vs. Mets - 7:00PM - ESPN
- Tigers vs. Mariners - 7:05PM
- Pirates vs. Brewers - 7:05PM
- Blue Jays vs. Angels - 7:07PM
- Nationals vs. Phillies - 7:10PM
- Astros vs. Cubs - 8:05PM
- Twins vs. Rangers - 8:10PM
- White Sox vs. Indians - 8:11PM
- Padres vs. Cardinals - 10:05PM
- Dodgers vs. Reds - 10:10PM
