MLB Game Picks - Thursday: April 23, 2015

Last night did not go well at all. In fact, I was afraid of a total ruination when the picks were like 1-6. But most of the later games came out okay (except the Giants instead of the Dodgers). It wasn't a total disaster and the Pick of the Day was right. But it wasn't good either.

Thursday's picks:

• The Pirates over the Cubs: I obviously do not know what to do in this series. I haven't picked one of the games correctly yet. Maybe the fourth one is the charm. I'm going with Jeff Locke over Kyle Hendricks.
• The Marlins over the Phillies: This is another series that I've struggled with. And today is a mess with these two as I have little confidence in David Phelps and Dustin McGowan has pitched five times in relief but it slated to start today. He won't be able to go very deep into the game. Who knows.
• The Yankees over the Tigers: I haven't done well with this series either. Who know that David Price would get pounded? Anibal Sanchez has really struggled. Masahiro Tanaka is coming off a great start. So let's go with that. Hopefully, it won't snow today.
• The Braves over the Mets: Three reasons for this pick. The Mets' winning streak has to end some time. Bartolo Colon has to have a clunker eventually. And lastly, Julio Teheran has an awful lot of talent. We'll see.
• The Brewers over the Reds: Apparently, I am the patron saint of underdogs today. Kyle Lohse has been brutally bad. But he pulls it together tonight? The Brewers score some runs off of Homer Bailey? It could happen...
• The Padres over the Rockies: Another series I am really ralphing on. The bullpens have been deciding these games. And it's been a different bullpen each night. So will it matter what Jordan Lyles and Tyson Ross do?
• The Nationals over the Cardinals: This series is very tight and can go either way. These are the two best teams in the NL in my opinion and they are battling each other like that is true. Max Scherzer should be just a tick better than Michael Wacha. But just a tick...
• The Angels over the Athletics: Both Nick Tropeano and Jesse Chavez are making their first starts of the seasons. They cancel each other out. I'm going with the home team and what I perceive to be the better offense in the Angels.
• The Blue Jays over the Orioles: It's pretty safe to say that these teams don't like each other. I'm just not sure about the Blue Jays if Jose Bautista is out of the lineup. Chris Tillman got bopped his last time out and Drew Hutchison is due for a good game.
• The Rays over the Red Sox: The AL East sure is hard to figure out. As is Clay Buchholz. Jake Odorizzi has been dependable for the Rays. So let's go that way. I have no confidence in this pick from either direction.
• The White Sox over the Royals: It's tough to pick against Yordano Ventura. But don't you have to when Chris Sale is pitching? But say the two starters cancel each other out? Then this pick is in trouble because the Royal's bullpen is pretty killer.

And the Pick of the Day

• The Dodgers over the Giants: Mike Bolsinger makes his first start for the Dodgers. He has been lights out in his two PCL starts. I think he will be terrific. Forget about what happened last year. He was in Arizona. Ryan Vogelsong goes for the Giants.

Yesterday: 6-9, Season: 110-115, Picks of the Day: 9-8