Saturday, July 30, 2011

Game Picks - Saturday: July 30, 2011

How can one make two brilliant picks like the White Sox over the Red Sox and the Blue Jays over the Rangers and still have a negative day? Easily, this week it seems. Every day this week has been in the red. Every single day. Not by a lot, but in the red just the same. The situation is getting very annoying. So how does it keep happening?

Well, for one thing, keep picking against the Mets. They keep winning and this picker keeps picking against them. That's am incorrect pick a day. Sprinkle in a rare one-run loss for the Giants who lost in extra innings. Pick a Yankee team with A.J. Burnett on the mound despite the facts he presents. Pick against the Braves when Brandon Beachy is on the mound. Keep thinking Gio Gonzalez is a good pitcher when he hasn't been pitching like one in a long time. Keep thinking the Indians are a good team when they're not. Constantly forget that Tim Stauffer can't get run support. And then overlook Matt Kemp and the damage he can do in a game. Add it all up together and you get the recipe for yet another bad day.

This picker is getting all snarly with how this is going. There are two singular goals this weekend that cannot be denied. One, get on the green in regulation just once this weekend and two, have a good day picking, for crying out loud. Here are Saturday's picks which include a Yankee - Oriole double header:

  • The Yankees sweep the Orioles: A combination of Bartolo Colon and the return of Ivan Nova combine to be much better than Zach Britton (just back from the minors) and Chris Tillman.
  • The Rangers over the Blue Jays: Brad Mills makes his first start for the Blue Jays after pitching effectively in the minors. That makes this game interesting to pick. It's hard at this point to pick against the super effective left arm of Derek Holland.
  • The Angels over the Tigers: Dan Haren is dealing judging from his last outing and remains the fourth most effective pitcher in the American League. Duane Below hasn't pitched more than five innings yet for the Tigers.
  • The Cardinals over the Cubs: Not feeling overly confident in this pick. Kyle Lohse is always a hit or miss pick when he starts. And Rodrigo Lopez has thrown three straight quality starts. Yes, that Rodrigo Lopez. Looking for the Cards to explode some rockets in this one.
  • The Bay Rays over the Mariners: Young Alex Cobb hasn't lost yet. Young Michael Pineda has been losing a lot lately as have his Mariners.
  • The Indians over the Royals: Yeah, I hear you. This picker just said that the Indians are being picked too often. But it's Justin Masterson, man! He faces Felipe Paulino, who has a great arm and lots of losses.
  • The Mets over the Nationals: Okay, Mets. You win. You get the pick. Watch them lose now. Oy. R.A. Dickey versus Jason Marquis.
  • The Red Sox over the White Sox: Jon Lester is just too good to pick against. Even if he is facing Philip Humber, arguably the best White Sox pitcher this year.
  • The Braves over the Marlins: Despite Tim Hudson's loss to the Marlins in his only start against them this year, Hudson is 9-4 in his career against the Fish. There have been fewer hard luck stories this season than Anibal Sanchez. He's made over twenty starts, has been very good in probably eighteen of them and still only has six wins.
  • The Brewers over the Astros: Quick. Name the Astros shortstop. Yup, that's the point. Besides Altuve and Bourn, what's to root for? Yovani Gallardo over J.A. Happ (less). 
  • The Giants over the Reds: Picking the Reds to win two games in a row has been a losing proposition. Like Mike Leake in this game, but Madison Bumgarner is too good to pick against.
  • The Rockies over the Padres: Aaron Harang has been a good luck charm for the Padres this season. He's 9-2. But Ubaldo Jiminez (if he isn't traded first) goes for the Rockies.
  • The Twins over the Athletics: Just keep thinking the Twins are dead and they will just keep resurrecting. Nick Blackburn over Guillermo Moscoso.
  • The Dodgers over the Diamondbacks: They heart wants to pick Micah Owings but the head says, "Don't even think about it!" Clay Billingsley with the win.

And the Game of the Day!

  • The Phillies over the Pirates: This pick is made with a heavy heart. James McDonald has been a great story as have the Pirates. But they aren't good enough to beat Cliff Lee and the Phillies. Will Hunter Pence show up today?

Yesterday: 7-8
Week: 36-47
Month: 192-178
Season: 856-728
Games of the Day: 75-43

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