Game Picks - Friday: August 21, 2009

Another so-so evening as most of the games this picker worried about proved problematic. The Cubs just aren't very good. The Bay Rays' bullpen blew another game. The Giants and Reds couldn't hit their way out of a paper bag and one of them had to win a close, low-scoring game and the wrong team did. Johan Santana lost. Add all those things up and you have a .500 day picking games. Hope you did better if you are following along.

It's dark here this morning. It's almost nine o'clock and it feels like eight in the evening. To use that as a metaphor, the Fan will now glance through the dark and try to find some illumination for these next fifteen picks:

• The Reds over the Pirates: Micah Owings is back. So is this Fan's interest in him.
• The Brewers over the Nationals: The Brewers have looked like the Nationals lately and vice versa.
• The Mariners over the Indians: Too bad the Indians waited this long to play this well. But the Fan likes French in this game.
• The Angels over the Blue Jays: Two rookie pitchers. When that happens, go with the better team.
• The Phillies over the Mets: Cole Hamels should beat Bats in his Pelfrey.
• The Yankees over the Red Sox: Pettitte versus Brad Penny. Tough pick to call.
• The Braves over the Marlins: Got to go with Vazquez over Sanchez, who is once again coming off the disabled list.
• The Rangers over the Bay Rays: The Rangers just seem to want it more than these current Bay Rays.
• The Astros over the Diamondbacks: Like Oswalt over Petit.
• The Royals over the Twins: Hochever has been better than Blackburn. The Twins are missing Morneau.
• The White Sox over the Orioles: Told you that the Fan was never picking Guthrie again.
• The Rockies over the Giants: Cook should shut down that anemic line up
• The Cardinals over the Padres: Like this kid, Richard, but the Cardinals are so much better as a team.
• The Tigers over the Athletics: Jackson should win this one.
• The Cubs over the Dodgers: There the Fan goes again, picking the Cubs. But they never lose when Wells is pitching.

Yesterday: 6-6
Week: 41-25
Month: 139-119