Game Picks - Sunday: May 27, 2012

At long last, a very good day for the Game Picks. The day games went almost exactly as predicted. Well...Jake Peavy won, but it wasn't pretty. Anyway, all the day games were correct. Even picking the Royals worked out. Some of the later games did not work out so well. The Brewers were supposed to win and did not. The Astros were supposed to win and ralphed. That's what a picker gets for jumping on their bandwagon. But all in all, it was a good day and the week ended up somehow in the black. Speaking of the week. Somehow during the week, the count got all messed up. It will be corrected at the end of the post.

Don't you love Sundays? It is, by far, the best baseball day of the week. All day games except one. And even Sunday Night Baseball is much more enjoyable now that Terry Francona is there. Jon Miller is still missed, but those days are gone. Here are Sunday's picks:

• The Reds over the Rockies: Two teams going in different directions. The Rockies have great team chemistry. But not a very good team, especially pitching. The Reds are rolling and have managed to find the top of the division. Mat Latos over Jamie Moyer.
• The Marlins over the Giants: The Marlins are playing Russian Roulette in the ninth inning. But they keep winning. Poor Heath Bell has zero confidence (or stuff) at the moment. Ricky Nolasco over Matt Cain.
• The Cubs over the Pirates: Okay, here's the thing. The Cubs have been picked all weekend. The Pirates keep winning. The Cubs have lost like 345 games in a row. So picking their games has become this death watch. But you know that the losing streak will end sometime. So the picking becomes one of waiting for the law of averages to right itself. Will it be today? Tomorrow? What? Matt Garza versus Erik Bedard.
• The Orioles over the Royals: Two enigmatic pitchers in Luke Hochevar and Brian Matisz. Your guess is as good as this one.
• The Bay Rays over the Red Sox: This series has turned into a grudge match. And today's outcome is seriously difficult to predict. Jeremy Hellickson can be good. But he can be had. Clay Buchholz the same. Which team will get the hot pitcher? Going with Hellickson.
• The Indians over the White Sox: The Indians have looked awful in this series. The White Sox have hit the ball often against them. Ubaldo Jimenez slows the White Sox down enough for the Indians to steal one here against Gavin Floyd.
• The Twins over the Tigers: This pick feels stupid. But the Pajama Man, PJ Walters has kicked this picker in the shin one too many times to want to get kicked again. Plus, Rick Porcello simply hasn't been very good.
• The Cardinals over the Phillies: Roy Halladay and Adam Wainwright cancel each other out, making this a bullpen game the home team takes late.
• The Rangers over the Blue Jays: Yu Darvish has had trouble throwing strikes. But he faces a team not known for their patience. The Rangers will wait out Kyle Drabek and get the win.
• The Yankees over the Athletics: Hiroki Kuroda is back on the West Coast and he will flourish there, especially against the A's offense. Tommy Milone has been good this year, but he is a lefty and the Yankees love that.
• The Angels over the Mariners: Hector Noesi has had more good games than bad, but he won't get any support as the Mariners get CJ Wilson today.
• The Dodgers over the Astros: All Chris Capuano has done this season is win. Today will be no different. The Dodgers scratch out enough runs on JA Happ to take this one.
• The Brewers over the Diamondbacks: Daniel Hudson is making his first start since being on the DL. Never like to pick those scenarios. Going with Randy Wolf and the Brew Crew.
• The Nationals over the Braves: Gio Gonzalez will be the difference in this one and will just slightly out-pitch Brandon Beachy. Any other pitcher, the pick would be the Braves, but the lefty will give them trouble.

And the Game of the Day!

• The Mets over the Padres: Somehow, the Mets have managed to put themselves in the thick of the NL East race. Other than the Orioles and Astros, is that not the most surprising thing to happen so far this season? RA Dickey over Edinson Volquez.

Yesterday: 10-5

Last week (corrected): 50-45

Month: 181-167

Season: 370-315

Games of the Day: 29-21