Another losing night and this old game picker is mighty discouraged. I don't seem to know my pick-off from my windup these days. I believe my down hill slide is about as long as the Rays is. Wait, at least they finally scored some runs and won last night. So what does that mean? Will they start playing better now? There were some good pitchers that let me down: Matt Cain, Julio Teheran, Justin Verlander and Michael Wacha, to name a few. But Masahiro Tanaka never lets me down.
I know! Maybe I am like Cal Ripken, Jr. I have this streak going of never missing a game picked for over four years. Like Ripken's play suffered at the end of his long streak, maybe my picking is doing the same. The difference was that he was rich and could eventually retire. I'll keep schlubbing along because I can't help myself.
Thursday's picks:
- The Dodgers over the Reds: The first one starts with a very hard one. Zack Greinke hardly ever loses, but lost his last time out (at Coors though) and Alfredo Simon hardly ever loses either. The Dodgers don't seem to have any oomph. But if Greinke is Greinke, they should win anyway.
- The Phillies over the Padres: This one is difficult too, but for the opposite reason. Kyle Kendrick and Eric Stults are 3-13 between them with very high ERAs. I'll take the home team and Reid Brignac. Heh.
- The Braves over the Rockies: Yeah, this was wrong yesterday too. I don't know how well Ervin Santana will pitch at Coors. But it seems it should be better than whatever Jhoulys Chacin does.
- The Giants over the Nationals: Tim Hudson's season is flying under the radar, but it's really good. He's had an amazing career which is very similar to Roy Halladay's career except he has outlasted him. Saying all that, Blake Treinen has been pitching really well but cannot buy a win.
- The Pirates over the Cubs. I can see no reason why Edinson Volquez should beat Jeff Samardzija other than that the Cubs are the Cubs.
- The Orioles over the Blue Jays: Mark Buehrle has been so good, haven't you been waiting for the market correction to his norm? I keep doing so and he hasn't. But Baltimore is a tough park to keep it going. That said, Kevin Gausman has to pitch well and keep the recent Jays' offensive funk going.
- The Mets over the Brewers: Kyle Lohse has had a great season thus far but was bombed his last time out and is better at home. Jon Niese is tough at times and could shut the Brewers down.
- The Astros over the Diamondbacks: This pick goes against logic but since when has baseball been logical? Scott Feldman has been awful...just awful. So today he will be better. If he isn't, then this pick will look stupid in a hurry. Wade Miley goes for the Diamondbacks.
- The White Sox over the Tigers: Max Scherzer and Chris Sale. Woo boy, that will be fun. Sale has been sensational. Scherzer not as much lately. This all depends on which ace is on top of his game.
- The Yankees over the Mariners: Chase Whitley has been very good for the Yankees, but only at five innings an appearance. That means the bullpen has to be great. It can be. Roenis Elias beat the Yankees at the Bronx earlier in the season. Revenge time.
And the Game of the Day:
- The Red Sox over the Indians: Josh Tomlin (the way he has been pitching) and Jon Lester seem to have an equal chance to pitch well. The one thing that pushes me to the Red Sox is that the Indians have a team OPS of 110 points lower against left-handed pitching.
Yesterday: 7-8, June: 78-74, Games of the Day: 34-34, Season: 531-452
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