Saturday, October 08, 2011

Game Picks - Saturday: October 8, 2011

Can the end of this baseball season get any better? One-run contests, colossal pitching performances, superb defense and walk-off series-winning hits in extra innings. Amazing. Between the last day of the regular season and these division series games, baseball has never been better. What a thrill ride.

Of course, the flip side is that fans on the losing sides get highly disappointed, so much sympathy for Phillies and Diamondback season rooters. Your pain is noted. And speaking of pain, Ryan Howard's season ended frighteningly. Let's all hope he didn't rupture his Achilles. Nobody ever wants to see something like that happen. The thing that has been nagging this writer after watching the game ending replay over and over was seeing Howard lie there alone for so long. The replay showed the dugout and his teammates must have been in shock or something because there was no response. None of Howard's teammates ran to him after the play was clearly over. It's bothersome and this feeling won't go away for some reason.

Those Diamondbacks played a gutsy and thrilling series. Things ultimately didn't go their way. But what a season, eh? Kirk Gibson will correctly win Manager of the Year (and our Connie Mack Award) and his cast of characters did themselves proud. Nobody believed but you guys. Congratulations on the season.

On the flip side, fans of the Brewers and Cardinals have a right to be thrilled and we are thrilled for you. What dramatic wins! Enjoy every minute of your moments in the sun and good luck in the upcoming championship series. 

The Rangers and the Tigers begin their series today, so the thrill keep on going. Plus, this picker has to pick the game. So here goes:

  • The Tigers over the Rangers: The difference maker in this game for this picker has to be Justin Verlander. Besides Josh Hamilton, most of the Rangers' better hitters are right handed and they will have their hands full with Verlander's stuff. C.J. Wilson on the other hand only gains an advantage on Austin Jackson. Other than that, the right-handed bats of Cabrera and company should score a few runs. The Tigers have to win the games that Verlander starts. If they don't, they will have trouble winning this series.

Yesterday: 1-1
Week: 8-6
Month: 12-6
Season: 1375-1071

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