Game Picks - Wednesday: June 29, 2011

At one point, this picker was 5-1 and then 7-2 with the picks. Then they improved to 9-3. Unfortunately, the Fan went oh-for-the-West-Coast. Oh well, it still wasn't a bad day. Picking the Tigers proved to be as stupid as picking the Mets the day before. The Mets got two grand slams and four more hits from Jose Reyes to laugh away a route. The Fan knew that the Reds/Bay Rays game was a tight one. David Price was left in an inning too long by Joe Maddon and the pick looked good. Then Johnny Damon hit a little doink to plate two runs and it looked like the pick would be wrong. Then Kyle Farnsworth coughed up the lead in the ninth and the pick looked better. Longoria then ended the game in the tenth with one swing. Bye bye, pick. Ted Lilly had nothing and the Twins were aggressive to win that game against the Dodgers. Another bad pick. Then of course, the West Coast games started and nothing went right there.

Interleague marches on and the month of June is heading to a close. Here are Wednesday's picks:

• The Bay Rays over the Reds: This game starts a little after noon on the East Coast. Weird. James Shields can't be counted against until this hot streak ends. Nobody is pitching better right now who isn't named Cliff Lee. Edinson Volquez goes for the Reds. That win at home yesterday was huge for the Bay rays.
• The Twins over the Dodgers: Young Rubby de la Rosa can bring that fastball, but he doesn't put it over the plate enough. Scott Baker wins.
• The Royals over the Padres: Yes, this picker keeps stubbornly making this pick. Come on, Royals! Stop making the Fan look like an idiot. Bruce Chen over Tim Stauffer.
• The Mariners over the Braves: Felix Hernandez shuts down the Braves and the Mariners scratch out a couple against Derek Lowe.
• The Indians over the Diamondbacks: The D-backs stubbornly keep sending Zach Duke out there to get his butt kicked. Perhaps it's leavening or something for the team. Carlos Carrasco with the win.
• The Phillies over the Red Sox: The good news for the Red Sox is that Vance Worley isn't Cliff Lee. The bad news is that John Lackey isn't Josh Beckett.
• The Yankees over the Brewers: The trouble with this series for the Brewers is that the Yankees know all their pitchers. Shaun Marcum may be good overall, but he is 1-4 with a 6.55 ERA lifetime against the Yankees. A. J. Burnett goes for the Yankees.
• The Mets over the Tigers: The first two games of this series were split and this Fan had them both wrong. Today shouldn't be wrong as Chris Capuano has been much better than Phil Coke.
• The Cardinals over the Orioles: Chris Carpenter is going to go on a roll now that he got his second win. David Freese back in the line up helps a lot. Chris Jakubaustas with the loss.
• The Nationals over the Angels: The Fan will stubbornly stick with Jordan Zimmermann because he is terrific. So what if the Nationals never score for him and the bullpen keeps blowing his saves? Dan Haren goes for the Angels.
• The Pirates over the Blue Jays: The Fan hates to pick against Brandon Morrow but somehow the Pirates keep winning and Paul Maholm keeps throwing his junk and somehow it all works. Let other people figure it out.
• The Rangers over the Astros: This should and could be a win for Brett Myers against Colby Lewis. But it won't be.
• The Rockies over the White Sox: Ubaldo beat the Yankees. He can beat the White Sox. Mark Buehrle, though, is the best interleague pitcher ever. Interesting.
• The Marlins over the Athletics: Guillermo Moscoso was great his last time out against the Phillies. But Ricky Nolasco is going home. Marlins win.

And the Game of the Day!

• The Giants over the Cubs: The death pall continues for the Cubs after their massacre of a double-header yesterday. Today they get Tim Lincecum. Oh boy. Ryan Dempster hangs in there in the loss.

Yesterday: 10-6

Week: 20-19

Month: 204-176

Season: 640-543

Games of the Day: 57-33