Friday, May 11, 2012

Game Picks - Friday: May 11, 2012

Yesterday was perfect. For a game picker anyway. Seven games. Seven correct picks. In the three year and a half year history of this feature, it's only the second perfect day. They both occurred on short schedule days. To go perfect on a full schedule day would be like sinking a hole in one in golf, or bowling a 300 game. That would be the ultimate. But still, perfect for seven games is pretty darn sweet. Two of the picks were the double-header between Texas and Baltimore. Double-headers are murder to pick. Nailed both of them right down to the Colby Lewis homers allowed. Kind of feel like this guy.

Knowing how hard games are to predict, there won't be too much of an afterglow from yesterday. Today's full schedule will be sure to bring some reality back around. Here are Friday's picks:
  • The Pirates over the Astros: You have to hand it to the Astros' manager. He doesn't have a lot to work with, but he's kept the Astros competitive. Bud Norris is a good pitcher. But James McDonald is too and the Pirates are home.
  • The Phillies over the Padres: Don't like Clayton Richard's chances outside of Petco. Vance Worley needs to be careful with Yonder Alonso, who is having a fine season. And the Phillies need to hit a little bit. 
  • The Yankees over the Mariners: On the surface of things, this is a stupid pick. Felix Hernandez is 3-0 in the new Yankee Stadium with like an 0.39 ERA. But while Hernandez's numbers look good against the Twins of the world this season, His velocity is down a full two MPH and that could be enough for the Yankees to catch him. Saying that, Hiroki Kuroda needs to have a good start.
  • The Bay Rays over the Orioles: Dana Eveland goes for the O's and he's been pitching well in the minors. But the pick has to be the Rays behind Jeremy Hellickson.
  • The Indians over the Red Sox: Clay Buchholz's record may look all shiny and nice, but his ERA over nine is not. He has given up five runs or more in each of his starts. And the homers are piling up. Ubaldo Jimenez doesn't inspire confidence either. But one of them has to win. The Red Sox are on pace to lose 99 games. No wonder the press there is having a field day.
  • The Mets over the Marlins: The Marlins had a great road trip but are heading back home today and they have really struggled in their new park. Johan Santana struck eleven Marlins out in his last outing against them. A lot will depend on how the Mets handle Mark Buehrle, who is no slouch.
  • The Nationals over the Reds: The Reds should get rid of Dusty Baker. Sorry. They should. Anyway, Gio Gonzalez is the kind of pitcher that can give the Reds' lineup fits and Mike Leake has been a homer machine thus far.
  • The Rangers over the Angels: Wow! What an event this should be! C.J. Wilson makes his first trip back to Texas to face his old team in his old ballpark and faces Yu Darvish, the guy who replaced him. Do you think Mike Napoli will be stoked? Napoli might write his phone number on the baseball and try to ram it down Wilson's throat. The struggling Angels got another blow by losing Chris Iannetta for six weeks.
  • The Cubs over the Brewers: Matt Garza returns to the rotation after having the flu. The Brewers' bats might get the flu as a result. Randy Wolf has a lot of history against the Cubs and has a losing record thus far against them.
  • The Royals over the White Sox: If Felipe Paulino throws the ball like he did against the Yankees, the White Sox won't have a fun day. The young Royals' hitters should hit Gavin Floyd.
  • The Blue Jays over the Twins: Here is a fact for you. The Twins are on pace to finish with a 42-120 record. Oof. Nick Blackburn has had nothing so far this season. Kyle Drabeck is way too wild at times, but should win this one.
  • The Braves over the Cardinals: A lot will depend in this one on how well Mike Minor bounces back from two terrible starts in a row. If he is as bad as in those two, the Cardinals' offense will pound him. But Jaime Garcia simply instills no confidence at all in this picker. The guy is a big inning waiting to happen.
  • The Giants over the Diamondbacks: Madison Bumgarner has become a true ace. The guy is a stud. Patrick Corbin is not an ace or a stud. 
  • The Tigers over the Athletics: Rick Porcello is getting it together of late and Tommy Milone cracked a bit last time out after a good start to the season. And don't give this picker any crap about the Tigers should have saved some runs last night. It doesn't work that way.

And the Game of the Day!
  • The Dodgers over the Rockies: This picker was digging the whole Jamie Moyer thing until his stupid incident with Chipper Jones last week. Lost a lot of respect for him during that escapade. The Dodgers will knock him out behind the rejuvenated Chris Capuano.

Yesterday: 7-0
Week: 39-29
Month: 77-55
Season: 266-204
Games of the Day: 20-15

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