Saturday, October 04, 2014

MLB Game Picks - Saturday: October 4, 2014

My post season picking is only going slightly better than Mike Trout and Josh Hamilton's post season hitting. I mean, holy cow already. Clayton Kershaw with a 6-1 lead looked pretty darned good for that pick to hold up, right? What!? And who would ever thought that Jake Peavy...the same Jake Peavy that was practically run out of Boston, would pitch in the playoffs and allow only two hits?
The one thing you cannot say is that this post season baseball has been boring. In a year dominated by pitching, the offensive fireworks have been spectacular. The only problem for many fans right now is a real tiredness with it looking like another Cardinals - Giants NLCS. To most fans, that would be a tired rehash of the two same teams that have dominated the last five years.
But how much different would an Orioles - Royals ALCS be? That would be something. We won't find out for another day how that is going to go because the ALDS has the day off today. It's all NLDS. But don't think we get any day baseball. Heck no. The East Coast will be up all night again if they want to watch the games. Thanks, MLB, your money-grubbing ways know no bounds.
Today's picks:
  • The Nationals over the Giants: Looking at the pitching match-ups, you would have to go with the Nationals here. Tim Hudson has looked over the hill for two months now. And Jordan Zimmermann has been filthy the past two months ending the season with a no-hitter. That last fact scares me a bit. Pitchers never seem to pitch well after a no-hitter. Have you noticed that? And this is the Giants after all, who never, ever seem to lose a post season game. Egads! I am freaking myself out.
  • The Cardinals over the Dodgers: You just have to go with the Cardinals now. If Kershaw is no obstacle, what is? Lance Lynn has had a terrific season and can bully hitters. And Zack Greinke is not as great as Kershaw. Don't get me wrong, Greinke is very good, but still.  The Dodgers sure seem to have a lot of loose cannons and bad chemo. It's just an odd team. The real wild card in this game (that isn't a wild card game) is that these two managers, Mike Matheny and Don Mattingly, might be the worst in-game strategists in baseball.
Yesterday: 1-3, Post season: 2-6, Season: 1367-1096

2 comments:

Cardinal70 said...

Re pitchers struggling after a no-hitter: not always, my friend. Remember Mark Buehrle made a run at back-to-back ones! But your point is well taken.

William J. Tasker said...

Heh. There ARE always exceptions to the rule. But they are still exceptions.