MLB Game Picks - Monday: April 22, 2013

Sunday was a pick-astrophy. That was easily the most brutal results of picking baseball games this daily feature has suffered in its four year history. There were sixteen games. Only three were picked correctly. Holy crap. It is no solace that one of the three correct picks was the Game of the Day feature coming in correctly. One of three correct picks was picking against my favorite team. That was brutal.

Monday would have to be a heck of a good day to pick up that disaster of a day. So here are the picks for Monday:

• The Athletics over the Red Sox: Here is a stat for you. A.J. Griffin has started 18 times in his Major League career and has only lost once. And the A's are 15-3 in those eighteen starts. Sure, a .900 winning percentage is not going to be maintained. But are you going to argue with it until it starts to falter? No, me neither. Felix Doubront starts for the Red Sox.
• The Pirates over the Phillies: I am being set up on this one, right? The Pirates just gave the Braves all they could handle over the weekend and the Pirates' A.J. Burnett faces an untested young kid named, Jonathan Pettibone, who has so-so statistics in the minors. This should go to the Pirates. I am being set up, I tell you...
• The Cardinals over the Nationals: This is not good. I have picked against three straight home teams. But this is the logical pick. Dan Haren has been awful for the Nats and Shelby Miller has been lights out for the Cardinals. This is logical. This makes sense. Oh crap.
• The Orioles over the Blue Jays: This is not a verdict for Chris Tillman, the weaker spot of the Orioles' rotation. The pick is more of a verdict of the Orioles being at home and getting J.A. Happ who became Happless again in his last start after starting the season with some magic pixie dust. And can baseball players stop coming to the big leagues with initials for names, please?
• The Reds over the Cubs: Just when I gave up on Mike Leake, he had a good game and won. The Cubs being the visitors seems right for the pick to go Leake's way again. Travis Wood, whose name is better suited for a country singer, gets the start for the Cubs.
• The Bay Rays over the Yankees: Everything except C.C. Sabathia (more initials) points to a Rays win in this one. Matt Moore has been surreal so far. He is 3-0 with an ERA under two. He has given up lots of walks, but only eight hits in eighteen innings. Plus, he is left-handed and the Yankees have a crappy lineup against lefties.
• The Indians over the White Sox: The White Sox are the home team, but that seems to be discounted by a start by young Dylan Axelrod. I do not have confidence in him. I had a lot more confidence in Justin Masterson before he blew up in his last start.
• The Marlins over the Twins: The Twins are a lot better team than people expected. But Kevin Correia does not inspire confidence even if I do call him, "Chick." Ricky Nolasco really needs to get traded to some place where he has a chance. The poor guy. Well, as poor as a rich pitcher in Miami could be, I suppose.
• The Mariners over the Astros: These two teams are going to baffle me on all eighteen of their contests together this season. Felix Hernandez, for all his accolades, is never a safe pick. And Brad Peacock pitched well his last time out too. Gosh, I hate these kinds of days...
• The Rockies over the Braves: I like Jeff Francis' odds to pitch well in Colorado since he is used to it. I do not like Mike Minor's odds at Coors Field. The Rockies are off to a great start. The Braves were, but have dropped off a bit since then.
• The Angels over the Rangers: This is a double-reverse-logic pick. Derek Holland has not pitched well, but will pitch well tonight. Joe Blanton is 0-3 and has been awful, but just when you pick against him every time, he comes back to bite you. The Angels are at home and have started to hit better.
• The Brewers over the Padres: Every time the Brewers go on the road, I want to pick against them. But Kyle Lohse in Petco should work for him. The Padres got swept by the Giants over the weekend and are due for a win. I do not think it will be tonight behind Jason Marquis.

And the Game of the Day!

• The Giants over the Diamondbacks: Ryan Vogelsong at home seems like a good pick even against a good pitcher like Wade Miley. The Giants really are a remarkable team, are they not?

Yesterday: 3-13  #headdesk

Week: 3-13    I had to type it twice!?

Month: 155-115

Games of the Day: 15-6