Tuesday's picks went well enough yesterday. The day was not as clean as Monday was, but it could have been if both Los Angeles teams had not had bullpen implosions. For the Angels, Kevin Jepsen pitched like Carly Rae Jepson. Another game was incorrectly picked because Nick Tepesch pitched a good game for the Rangers. Who knew? The Cardinals pick was finally correct. So that is a moral victory in itself. Hey, and I even picked the Astros to win a game and lived to tell about it.
There is a little something for everybody today. All teams are in action and five of the games are day games. Nice. Here are Wednesday's picks:
- The Blue Jays over the Tigers: My confidence in the Blue Jays is lagging a bit as their pitching has simply not come to the party yet. Morrow really let me down yesterday. Perhaps a junk guy like Mark Buehrle can lead them out of the wilderness. Rick Porcello goes for the Tigers.
- The Reds over the Cardinals: These teams are both really good and will be fighting each other all season. The Reds take the rubber match of this series as Homer Bailey has really come into his own. Jake Westbrook is Jake Westbrook and sometimes his balls in play get caught and sometimes they don't.
- The Bay Rays over the Rangers: This same pick went bad yesterday, but the feeling here is that Matt Moore will give the Rays their first really good outing of the season. Derek Holland did not start the season well and perhaps even the weak-hitting Rays can score a few runs off of him.
- The Giants over the Rockies: Barry Zito is making me giddy. He was a star of the post season and then threw a gem in his first game this season. Wooey! The best thing you can say about Rockies' starter, Jeff Francis, is that he is crafty.
- The Yankees over the Indians: This game could get ugly. Ivan Nova starts for the Yankees and who knows what he will do out there on the mound. He could get pounded. But today's scheduled starter for the Indians mopped up yesterday's Yankees' batting practice. So who is going to start for them?
- The Nationals over the White Sox: Jordan Zimmermann is very good. Gavin Floyd can be good at times. The Nats are simply the better team.
- The Mets over the Phillies: Jeremy Hefner deserved better in his first start of the season. He only gave up a run and still took the loss. Kyle Kendrick got bombed in his first outing. The Phillies might have gone to the well with him once too often this season.
- The Braves over the Marlins: Alex Sanabia has the only win for the Marlins but there is no way he will keep throwing scoreless innings when he walks more batters than he strikes out and has a 100% strand rate. But who knows, stranger things have happened. Going with Mike Minor and the Braves seems a safer pick.
- The Orioles over the Red Sox: Both starters in this game throw occasional gems. And just as occasionally throw stinkers. So which will do which tonight between Ryan Dempster for the Red Sox and Jake Arrieta for the Orioles. Going with the Orioles because they always play the Red Sox tough.
- The Brewers over the Cubs: Remember when I used to stump for Scott Feldman and he was a man crush? Yeah, not so much any more. The safer pick here is the Brewers behind Kyle Lohse. The Brewers' bullpen is a worry though.
- The Royals over the Twins: I'm feeling a little lightheaded picking the Royals for the third day in a row. But they are playing the Twins after all. And it seems that Wade Davis has a better chance of winning than Liam Hendriks does.
- The Athletics over the Angels: So who do the Angels blame their poor start on this year if it is not because they kept Mike Trout in the minors? Perhaps eyes can rightly look at the pitching. Joe Blanton should not beat Tommy Milone. He may anyway, but hey, no pick is secure.
- The Mariners over the Astros: The Astros should have saved some of those runs because that was like a week's worth of production yesterday. The pitching match up today is uncomfortable to say the least. Blake Beavan should be okay at home and that is the pick over Brad Peacock.
- The Padres over the Dodgers: This pick's sole reason to exist is that I made fun of Eric Stultz in his last start and he made me look silly. Call it the finger in the electric socket syndrome. Chad Billingsley goes for the Dodgers and he has always given me heartburn.
And the Game of the Day!
- The Diamondbacks over the Pirates: I should have picked the Pirates yesterday and did not. But I can't pick them today. Wade Miley made no signs in his first outing that his rookie campaign was a fluke. And I know Jonathan Sanchez won his first outing, but let's see him string three or four of those outings together before I can buy it.
Yesterday: 9-5
Week: 25-15
Month: 72-45
Games of the Day: 7-2
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