Chase Utley extended his hitting streak to 34 games last night (tied for the fifth-longest since Joe’s D’s 56-game streak in 1941) but not without some controversy. His eight-inning groundout to the third base side of the pitcher’s mound was initially scored as a fielder’s choice, but was later changed to an infield hit. However, it should be noted that Utley got a clean single in the ninth.

My bye for Thursday is the LA Dodgers over the Cin Reds at 7:10 ET. I’m releasing another Las Vegas Insider exclusive tonight (25-15 from May 1, despite a lackluster July) and my 15* AL Mismatch of the Month. I feel like I’m late for a run, so why not be there from the start?

The San Francisco Giants beat the Washington Nationals on Wednesday afternoon 8-6, ending MLB’s longest active losing streak at nine in a row. The St Louis Cardinals, who have lost six in a row, now own the longest losing streak in MLB. The Dodgers, riding an eight-game losing streak in last weekend’s three-game series with the Nationals (they’d also lost 13 of 14 since the break!), extended MLB’s longest active winning streak to five last night with a 5- 3 win over the Reds.

The A’s took the decider of their three-game series with the Angels, 3-2. It was the 15th game decided by one run the two teams have played in the past two seasons, the highest total between two teams in the majors during that period.

There were only 14 runs scored in the three-game series between the A’s and Angels. It was only the fourth three-game series in the American League this season in which teams have combined for fewer than 15 runs and the Angels or A’s have been involved in three of them.

Speaking of one-run games, the Braves beat the Pirates yesterday, 3-2. It marked Pittsburgh’s 27th one-run loss this year, the most of any team in MLB. Pittsburgh’s 40-68 mark is the worst in the National League with only Kansas City (38-69) having a worse record than the Pirates in all of MLB. A closer look shows that while the Pirates have been outscored by just 66 runs this year, the Royals have been outscored by a whopping 140 runs.

Another interesting fact is that while the Pirates are down $2,121 in the top “money line” ranking (at $100/game), the Royals are down $244! A look at the top of those positions shows the Tigers with more than double their closest challenger (the Twins). Detroit is plus-$3,274 and Minnesota is plus-$1,533. The Tigers also lead the league in run differential with over 142 runs.

Just behind the Tigers in run differential are the Mets, who have 91-plus runs. Just behind the Mets are the Yankees, who have outscored their opponents by 89 runs. One point of interest for punters is that while the Yankees have a slightly better overall record than the Mets (63-41 to 64-42), the Yankees are over $274 in the money line standings, while that the Mets’ mark of over $1,331 puts them third in all of MLB!

Thursday’s MLB features 12 games, including a doubleheader by the D’backs and Cubs, as they make up for last night’s rain. Both games of the doubleheader begin in the afternoon, joining three other afternoon contests. The Braves and Pirates meet at 12:35 ET on TBS and the Blue Jays and Yanks on ESPN at 1:05 ET. The Indians and Red Sox conclude their four-game series tonight at Fenway at 7:05 ET on ESPN2.

The Astros will try to sweep the Padres in San Diego at 12:35 ET. Houston last swept a three-game series at San Diego in August 1982, going 59-92 against the Padres in San Diego ever since! Tonight, Jered Weaver starts for the Angels when they host the Rangers (10:05 ET). The 23-year-old Weaver became the first rookie in 25 years to win his first seven starts, before giving up three ERs in 7 2/3 innings last Saturday at Fenway.

Weaver didn’t get a decision in that game, so he’s still 7-0 with a 1.51 ERA. He also allowed only 33 hits in 53.2 innings of work, which I think is safe to say that he rates him as the best pitcher in the family. His brother Jeff was bombed again last night, allowing eight hits and seven ERs in just 3 1/3 innings of the Cardinals’ 16-8 loss to the Phillies. The older Weaver’s ERA now stands at 6.71 on the season, the highest for any qualified pitcher in the majors.

What could be the “feel good” story of the night (if he pitches well?) is Greg Maddux’s Dodgers debut, when the Dodgers take on the Reds tonight in Cincinnati (7:10 ET). . Maddux joins the Dodgers with a career win total of 327 from him. Only two other pitchers in the live-ball era had as many wins as Maddux did at the time of the team change: Warren Spahn (356 when he joined the Mets, 360 when he joined the Giants, both in 1965) and Steve Carlton. (328 when he joined the Twins in 1987).

Of course, Maddux has been through mostly tough times this year. He started 5-0 with a 1.35 ERA, but then went 2-11 in a 15-start streak (the team was 2-13), before winning his last two starts with the Cubs. LA may have chosen his first opponent wisely, as Maddux is 3-0 (3.18 ERA) against the Reds this year. The Reds, meanwhile, will start Eric Milton, who has a 5.83 home ERA in 2006 with the Reds going 2-8 in his 10 home starts.

If one believes in history repeating itself, expect Chase Utley’s 34-game hitting streak to end tonight against the Cardinals (8:10 ET). On April 6, Jimmy Rollins (Utley’s teammate) saw his 38-game hitting streak end in one game with the Cardinals. Jason Marquis was the Cardinals’ starting pitcher that night, as he is in tonight’s game!

random thoughts

I’ll resume my NFL notes tomorrow, as today I want to ask the question, “What’s going on in college football?” We’ve barely had time to blink since Miami’s Larry Coker suspended four players (including Tyrone Moss and Ryan Moore) for the ‘Canes’ Sept. 4 opener with Florida State, when we got word that Oklahoma suspended QB owner Rhett Bomar. for the whole season!

Whats Next? Maybe Bobby Bowden will retroactively suspend Oakland’s Sebastian Janikowski for his “kids are kids behavior” while at Florida State. Come to think of it, maybe self-righteous Tom Osborne will reconsider his position on women’s rights activist Lawrence Phillips, instead of worrying about whether a person wants to bet on a football game or not?

From the “better late than never” department comes the news that the NBA has changed its qualifying procedure. Beginning next season, the top four seeds (the winners of all three divisions and the second-place team with the best record) will be seeded according to their win-loss total, ensuring that the top two teams from each conference can meet until the conference finals, the league announced Wednesday.

Who knows if that would have changed last year’s results? However, any plan that hadn’t rewarded the LA Clippers with an easier first-round opponent for finishing the regular season behind the Grizzlies last year and forced the Spurs and Mavs to meet in the second round ( instead of in the conference finals), it seems like a step in the right direction.

Could it be that in the next few days college football announces a major overhaul of the BCS? Nah, that’s just wishful thinking.

Ness Notes is available Monday through Friday at 1:00 ET.

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