Baseball in the Daytime: 9-3-08

We've got a hearty seven games on tap today, and one of them gets underway in like six seconds, so we'll not waste any time, but get right to them, after the jump.

Chicago @ Cleveland, 11:05 (Central): Javier Vasquez and Jeremy Sowers kick things off for BitD today. The visiting right-handed starter comes into the tilt with a 10-12 record, while his counterpart lefty's not much better at 2-7. This one'll be pretty important for the visiting Stockings, though, as the Twins have finally evened the AL Central standings with a first-place tie. The WGN is kind enough to carry the game today, and DirecTV'll have in on 307 and 722, while the XM feed can be found on channel 179.

Atlanta @ Florida, 12:10: Jorge Campillo and Chris Volstad are your right-handed hurlers for today's second matchup. Both are right around the .500 mark on the season, as is the Marlins' record. They'll need to get to work right away if they want to narrow the eight-game gap between them and the Mets. Seven twenty-two and 723 for you DirecTV subscribers; 183 for the XMers.

Baltimore @ Boston, 12:35: The visting O's call on Lance Cormier to take the mound, while the home team sends some guy named Daisuke Matsuzaka to the hill. Baltimore pitching has given up more than 40 free passes and earned more than 50 runs in its last five games, so if management says Jeremy Guthrie's sitting, who cares. Right? The pitching problems are far greater than getting the staff ace out there today. Dice-K looks for win number 17, and he'll do so on 725 and 726 DirecTV, and XM 177.

Seattle @ Texas, 1:05: The home squad in this game is also missing its slated starter as Vicente Padilla' kicking it on the DL. In his absence, Dustin Nippert tries to forget about hating his parents for that name, and goes for win number two. Livan Hernandez will do the same for the visiting M's, as he seeks his 10th win of the season.

New York @ Milwaukee, 1:05: Same time, different league, and we're looking at Oliver Perez and Dave Bush. Again we have a lefty and a righty duking, both of whom are around the .500 mark, both of whom will likely be pitching in some October games. Well, the Brewers have some work to do, but they're far from out of it. This one's on DirecTV 727, and XM 184.

San Fransicco @ Colorado, 2:05: Barry Zito and Aaron Cook are your starters in this second consecutive Coors Field tilt. Zito takes the field with an 8-16 mark, while Cook boasts the opposite. This one can be found on DirecTV 730, and XM 187.

St. Louis @ Arizona, 2:40: Kyle Lohse and Doug Davis are your guys behind the guys in our final match of the afternoon. The Cardinals find themselves deeper and deeper in the standings while Arizona recognizes that the Dodgers have crept right back up on them, winning four straight and now only one and-a-half games back. Dial up 731 or 732 on DirecTV, or listen in at XM 186.

Those are today's games. If you're headed out, prepare for weather of all sorts now that tricky September is here, and if you're drinking, please designate a driver.