June has turned out to be just as difficult for me picking games as May was before it. Like Josh Hamilton, I cannot seem to get anything going for an extended period of time. The season total is based almost solely on the success of April. Since then, sheesh. The Marlins beat up on the Mets' bullpen to hand the Mets another loss. Matt Moore got crushed again. What is up with him? The Cubs beat the Pirates as Edwin Jackson finally pitched a good game and Cody Ransom hit a three-run homer. Cody Ransom!?
And that is the way it keeps going. So despite good picks like the Yankees beating the Mariners when Felix Hernandez started and the Braves thumping the Dodgers, the tally for the day ended with an 8-8 record. Blah.
All I can do is continue on as the season grinds away. Today there are ten games on the schedule. Let's see if I can do any better:
- The Bay Rays over the Red Sox: I really like Alex Cobb and his ground ball machine of a pitching arm. The trouble is that he is facing the Red Sox, a team on a season-long roll. John Lackey has been effective coming back this season. The Rays at home.
- The Angels over the Orioles: This is a scary pick as the Orioles, as they showed yesterday, can turn around just about any pitcher's offerings. The pick is based on Jered Weaver being able to slow them down for a game and the Angels teeing off on Freddy Garcia.
- The Marlins over the Brewers: Okay, Marlins, are you on a roll? Or was it just the Mets? MLB.com lists Koehler as the Marlins' pitcher today. But that cannot be right. Yahoo lists Ricky Nolasco. I hope that is right as the pick is based on him pitching and putting up more zeroes than Yovani Gallardo.
- The Cubs over the Reds: The Reds really got beat up over the weekend by the Cardinals and their bullpen has to be toast right about now. They do not even get a chance to rest as they traveled to Chicago after the game last night and face a Cubs' pitcher who has been very effective this year in Scott Feldman. Homer Bailey will really need to go deep in this one.
- The Indians over the Rangers: Again, I hate streaks. The Indians have lost seven straight. When will it end? Will it be today or will it go on a bit longer? I hate that. Scott Kazmir does not seem like a pitcher to stop losing streaks. But what the heck. He is facing Josh Lindblom, whose first start of the season did little to show how he was so effective this season in the minors.
- The Royals over the Tigers: Perhaps I believe a little bit too strongly in Jeremy Guthrie. Or perhaps I do not have the proper faith I should in Doug Fister. I really never thought that offense would be the Royals problem this season. But it has. Guthrie better be good.
- The Blue Jays over the White Sox: R.A. Dickey has been on an every-other-start-is-good jag for his last four starts. And from that, tonight should be a bad one. But I have faith in him to have a good game and in his offense to score off of Dylan Axelrod.
- The Dodgers over the Diamondbacks: I really expected Wade Miley to have a better season than he has had. But his critics have proven correct in that he would fall back to the mean with his stuff. Stuff has never been an issue for Clayton Kershaw. His team scoring runs has though.
- The Braves over the Padres: Julio Teheran has been impressive and he gets to pitch in a big ballpark in San Diego to mitigate his mistakes. Jason Marquis has been effective for the Padres. But I will be surprised if the Braves do not win this one.
And the Game of the Day!
- The Mariners over the Astros: I cannot see Hisashi Iwakuma losing to the Astros pitching at home. I cannot see how that could happen. Dallas Keuchel has been better than expected, but still. It would be a shock if Iwakuma did not win this game.
Yesterday: 8-8
Week: 8-8
Month: 66-58
Season: 529-408
Games of the Day: 41-27
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