Saturday, June 22, 2013

MLB Game Picks - Saturday: June 22, 2013

Oh, man. Back in the crapper I go. After a successful week that followed a prolonged slump, the picks went into the dumpster last night. The day started off just fine with a 3-1 start. But the lone wrong pick of those four was Scott Kazmir pitching a brilliant game against the Twins. From then on, Led Zeppelin started playing and Robert Plant was singing Kazmir. Whoa, whoa. And the most fitting loss was Cole Hamels whose team scored three runs for him in the second inning and never scored again. That, of course, was the Game of the Day and Hamels is now 2-11. Unfreaking amazing.

Whelp, all I can do is keep picking because the schedule remains relentless as baseball day follows baseball day. Here are Saturday's picks:

  • The Rockies over the Nationals: The Rockies have lost eight of their last ten games and their last five in a row. You tell me if that is a coincidence that it all started by losing Troy Tulowitzki. But I think they snap out of it today against Dan Haren, who has not been fooling very many people so far this year. Jhoulys Chacin will have to have a good day though.
  • The Yankees over the Bay Rays: See? No Vernon Wells in the lineup and the Yanks score six runs. Simple. Against another right-handed pitcher in Alex Colombe, maybe Wells will sit again. Zoilo Almonte! CC Sabathia better come up big though.
  • The Blue Jays over the Orioles: I cannot lie. I love Chien-Ming Wang. I always have. And I am just thrilled that he has pitched very well in his two starts back in the majors. I wish it was for the Yankees instead of Phil Hughes, but what are you going to do. The Orioles' lineup could wreck him. But I have to pick him. Miguel Gonzalez goes for the Orioles.
  • The White Sox over the Royals: A long time ago, I wrote that Wade Davis and Phil Hughes could be brothers. They are the same pitcher. Going with Jose Quintana instead.
  • The Cubs over the Astros: Two down teams. One of them has to win. Which one will it be? The Astros lose a bat. The Astros cannot afford to lose a bat. I kind of like Travis Wood in a he-tries-hard-and-was-well-coached kind of way. Bud Norris? I just do not know what to make of the guy.
  • The Marlins over the Giants: What has happened to the Giants? They have kind of fallen off the table a bit. Barry Zito is always capable of bamboozling the other team for six innings. He is just as capable of getting whiplash as Giancarlo Stanton hits a smash. So let's go with Jacob Turner again. He has been pitching well.
  • The Mets over the Phillies: I have picked against Dillon Gee for the past month and he has been throwing like Greg Maddux. What is up with that? So I will go back to picking him and then he will go back the other way. I would like him over Jonathan Pettibone anyway.
  • The Braves over the Brewers: The Braves' offense is so frustrating. There are so many strikeouts and it all depends on the night for them. They can score a ten spot or just as easily get shut out. At least the Brewers are giving them a hand today--Donovan Hand that is. Tim Hudson with the win.
  • The Tigers over the Red Sox: Yeah, this pick did not work out well yesterday. And it is scary picking Max Scherzer. Not that he is not terrific. He is. But he cannot win all of his games can he? He has not lost yet. But with Buchholz out, the Red Sox are starting Allen Webster, who still has not shown he can get Major League hitters out. That said, he will pitch a shutout today. Just watch.
  • The Diamondbacks over the Reds: Here we go again. Another pitcher with a spotless record in Patrick Corbin. Sheesh. I love the guy and even his no-decisions are the bomb. Mike Leake has been pitching well though and the Reds are a good team.
  • The Dodgers over the Padres: The Padres are the hottest team in baseball. The Dodgers not. So why this pick? I think Zack Greinke shuts the Padres down and the Dodgers score just enough off of a rejuvenated Edinson Volquez to win.
  • The Indians over the Twins: I have been riding the Corey Kluber wave and will keep doing so until the bubble burst. And his name is still fun to say in The Muppets' chef voice. Besides, I am not a big fan of P.J. Walters.
  • The Angels over the Pirates: I hate this series. Both teams seem capable of winning. Jerome Williams has really been the Angels' best pitcher all season. Francisco Liriano has cooled off after a hot start to his season. Tough one.
  • The Athletics over the Mariners: This one should be safe. The only games Aaron Harang pitches well are against the Yankees. Dan Straily has to be the pick here.

And the Game of the Day:
  • The Cardinals over the Rangers: This pick looks too easy. And that is frightening. I think the Cardinals eat Martin Perez for breakfast and Shelby Miller strikes out ten Rangers. Tell me this is not a setup.

Yesterday: 5-10
Week: 47-39
Month: 147-142
Season: 610-491
Games of the Day: 46-34

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