Game Picks - Monday: April 4, 2011

Sunday wasn't a good day for this game picker. Before the early dust had settled, the Fan was in an 0-5 hole. Then it was 1-6 and the Fan looked like a Vazquez fastball. Yes, Vazquez was one of those awful picks that one learns to regret. But he was one of many. The snow-out in Colorado didn't help. What do they think they are doing out there in Colorado? Do they think they are in Maine or something? But, back to Sunday: After the way things started, the Fan was fortunate to end up with six correct picks. It could have been far uglier than that. Thank goodness Miguel Tejada doesn't know enough to lay off a bad pitch after a relief pitcher has just walked in a run.

Monday has a light schedule with only six games on tap. Here's how they look:

• The Brewers over the Braves: Could the Brewers' season have started any worse? Monday features a match up between Narveson and newcomer, Brandon Beachy. All signs point to the Braves in this one. Narveson didn't have a good spring and he allows way too many base runners. Beachy had a great spring and consistently strikes out a batter an inning. But the Brewers have to win this game. So going with that.
• The Tigers over the Orioles: Just like the Brewers having to win a game sooner or later, the Orioles have to lose one sooner or later. They have their best chance of doing that with Arrieta on the mound. The Tigers counter with Porcello, which seems like the better bet.
• The Yankees over the Twins: The Yankees hardly ever lose to the Twins. The Twins start that fabulous Baker boy, who should be Home Run Baker in the Bronx. Ivan Nova needs to show his spring wasn't a fluke and that he deserves to be the fourth starter. He has to do better than Hughes did on Sunday. That was brutal. More on that tomorrow.
• The Rangers over the Mariners: Would like to root for Erik Bedard, but this Fan just can't see him beating the Rangers, who should overcome whatever runs that young Holland gives up.
• The Cardinals over the Pirates: The Cardinals got a W on Sunday (finally), and Kyle Lohse had a terrific spring. The Fan has to pick him keeping Bob Netherton in mind while doing so. Bob has a terrific blog over there and is probably Lohse's biggest supporter.

And the Game of the Day!

• The Cubs over the Diamondbacks: Randy Wells had a great spring. Saunders had a spring that made him look like a softball pitcher. And yeah, a career that has done the same. Cubs win easy.

Yesterday: 6-8
Week: 6-8
Month: 24-21
Season: 24-21
Games of the Day: 2-2

Just a reminder: This isn't a betting feature. While some may come here for that purpose, this is strictly for fun and the Fan would hate actual money to be lost because of these little old picks.