Game Picks - Thursday: August 18, 2011

Wednesday was successful with ten picks out of fifteen in the plus column. Most of the results were predictable, so that was no great feat of prognostication. The week has been solid. The month season and Game of the Day features are all solid. So, all in all, everything is okay in this picker's world, how about you?

Continuing with the Fan's new feature that breaks down yesterday's picks:

• Smart picks: Bay Rays, Astros, Cardinals, Phillies, Reds, Brewers, Rangers and Blue Jays.
• Dumb picks: Padres, Braves, Marlins, White Sox.
• Lucky picks: Twins - double blown saves, A's - a bobble in the outfield and then a play at the plate that ends the game? How lucky is that?
• Unlucky picks: Royals (ahem, that homer)

That looks like a good day! Ten more games on the relentless MLB schedule for Thursday:

• The Dodgers over the Brewers: The Dodgers eke out one win in this lost series behind Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw goes against Marco Estrada, who is making his second emergency start.
• The Diamondbacks over the Phillies: Agonized over this pick for a long time before settling on Ian Kennedy over Vance Worley. But this is not a confident pick.
• The Nationals over the Reds: Bronson Arroyo has a sore Achilles heel but will pitch anyway. Um...Dusty? Jordan Zimmermann with the win.
• The Giants over the Braves: Tim Lincecum should beat Mike Minor, right? hmm...
• The Red Sox over the Royals: Josh Beckett over Luke Hochevar. Beckett avenges an earlier loss to the Royals. Hochevar has been good lately, but the Red Sox have too many weapons.
• The Indians over the White Sox: Justin Masterson is terrific and if he gets a few runs, should win handily. Phil Humber goes for the White Sox and his good season has dried up with four clunkers in a row now.
• The Padres over the Marlins: Who knows in this series. Tim Stauffer should bounce back from a pounding he received in the Great American Ballpark now that he's back at home. Javier Vazquez has been pitching well.
• The Angels over the Rangers: Colby Lewis is up and down. Jared Weaver is too good to beat here. Angels salvage one game of the series.
• The Blue Jays over the Athletics: Really good match up here as Trevor Cahill is great at home but faces a really hot pitcher in Ricky Romero. Going with Romero with a better offense behind him.

And the Game of the Day!

• The Yankees over the Twins: C.C. Sabathia needs to reverse two bad starts in a row. He should against a Twins line up that features holes. The Yankees should get to Brian Duensing.

Yesterday: 10-5

Week: 33-21 (yesterday's posted week's record was a typo)

Month: 135-94

Season: 1009-835  over a thousand correct picks!

Games of the Day: 85-50