MLB Game Picks - Sunday: June 7, 2015

Saturday was a pretty good picking day as most, if not all of the aces picked up their wins.  I guess I really need to pay attention to the Padres as they are putting it together right now. Other teams are scuffling like the Mets and the Reds. All these trends need to be followed when doing this day after day.

Can someone tell me why you would bring Vance Worley into a game with that game on the line?

Sunday's picks:

• The Yankees over the Angels: C.J. Wilson has good days and bad days. If he has a good one, that will break this pick. But the Yankees are hot and the Angels are not and hence the pick.
• The Astros over the Blue Jays: The Blue Jays have just destroyed the Astros the last two days. Will it continue with Collin McHugh? I don't think so. How R.A. Dickey fares will be a big factor too.
• The Indians over the Orioles: The O's are really scuffling right now. When they pitch, they don't hit. When they hit, they don't pitch. Carlos Carrasco is consistently good and Bud Norris is not. Nick Swisher is hot for Cleveland.
• The Reds over the Padres: This pick has been wrong every day, William. So why are you making it? But...but...but...Johnny Cueto is pitching! Oh, okay then, carry on. Odrisamer Despaigne goes for the Padres.
• The Red Sox over the Athletics: Clay Buchholz has emerged from a long, dark day and into the light. Kendall Graveman should get knocked around a bit by the Red Sox offense.
• The Giants over the Phillies: Madison Bumgarner once again puts the Giants back on balance and makes those behind him better. Ryan Vogelsong is today's guy and I don't think the Giants will struggle to hit Sean O'Sullivan.
• The Tigers over the White Sox: Jeff Samardzija is so confusing. Is he good? If so, then why does he get banged around so badly on a semi-regular basis? I just can't trust him. Not that trusting Alfredo Simon is any more comforting.
• The Brewers over the Twins: Mike Fiers is my pick here. The guy came to life in his last start and pitched the way he did last year. If he continues there, there is no way the Twins win. That is unless Mike Pelfrey is just as good and it becomes a bullpen battle.
• The Royals over the Rangers: The Rangers have made me look foolish in this series and the pitching match-up of Jeremy Guthrie versus Colby Lewis makes me cringe. The Royals are the better team though.
• The Nationals over the Cubs: I got this wrong yesterday...doubly wrong because I called the Cubs, the Phillies. Yeah, nice one, William! Jordan Zimmermann has been awesome lately, and is especially good after a team loss. Kyle Hendricks is a good pitcher for the Cubs too.
• The Marlins over the Rockies: Despite the loss, Jose Urena was pretty good in his last outing for the Marlins. So I pick him and his team because Kyle Kendrick at home in Coors gives me the willies.
• The Diamondbacks over the Mets: The Mets' offense has gone to sleep. As such, Josh Collmenter has a chance against Jacob deGrom even though I like deGrom a lot.
• The Mariners over the Rays: Mike Montgomery was pretty impressive against the Yankees and he pitches against the team that gave his career new life, and, of course, taught him the change-up. Chris Archer loses a close one.
• The Cardinals over the Dodgers: Lance Lynn will shut down the Dodgers and will get a few runs against Zack Greinke.

And the Pick of the Day:

• The Pirates over the Braves: Despite the stupid managerial move yesterday, I'll stick with the Pirates in this one because of Gerrit Cole. The pitcher is 8-2 after all. Alex Wood toils for the Braves.

Yesterday: 9-6, June: 44-38, Season: 422-391, Picks of the Day: 33-27 (+2)

MLB Game Picks - Sunday: May 17, 2015

Oops! I slept in late, so now I'm in a rush! I had another 8-7 day yesterday, the second in a row. Zack Greinke lost. Felix Hernandez lost. What!? I would have picked the Giants if I knew Hunter Pence was coming back. Ah well, the perils of picking baseball games.

I better get right to Sunday, since it's so late here:

• The Braves over the Marlins: Okay, Braves, you win. I'm not getting anywhere picking against you. My gut is telling me that the Marlins' manager will be fired soon. Anyway, Shelby Miller over Henderson Alvarez.
• The Mets over the Brewers: Did I pick the Brewers yesterday? I must have gotten carried away with myself. Wily Peralta goes for them today. He has been nowhere near as effective as last year. Noah Syndergaard gets his first MLB win.
• The Giants over the Reds: There is definitely some kind of magic going on in the Giants' clubhouse. How they keep winning with so-so talent is beyond me. Oh, and Reds, just keep throwing Brandon Crawford first-pitch fastballs. Way to look at your stats guys. Charlton Chris Heston over Anthony DeSclafani.
• The Diamondbacks over the Phillies: The Phillies are giving me fits lately. They aren't supposed to win games. So stop it already. I can't imagine them winning a game started by Sean O'Sullivan. But I could be wrong. Josh Collmenter goes for the D-backs.
• The Royals over the Yankees: Chris Capuano is back for the Yankees. Oh goodie. I can't go there. I'll go with Edinson Volquez instead. Besides, I'm getting nervous picking all these visiting teams to win.
• The Twins over the Rays: I have no idea how the Twins and Kyle Gibson win. But they do.  Chris Archer hasn't been overly ace-like in his last couple of starts.
• The Astros over the Blue Jays: I like Collin McHugh. I have made that clear enough. I also smile at Mark Buehrle because of how he wins. My problem here is that the Blue Jays' bullpen is a colossal mess.
• The Cubs over the Pirates: Boy, am I having fun watching the Cubs play. All that youth! I wish other teams wouldn't hold down their young players (ahem, Yankees). Jake Arrieta gentille Arrieta over A.J. Burnett.
• The Indians over the Rangers: Both of these teams have horrible bullpens as we saw yesterday. Which one will score more? That's the question. I'm going with the Indians and Carlos Carrasco over Nick Martinez.
• The Athletics over the White Sox: The A's will break their slide today with a win behind Scott Kazmir. Jeff Samardzija may have good stuff for the White Sox, but he is a right-handed pitcher and the A's love that.
• The Mariners over the Red Sox: Steven Wright, the knuckleball pitcher, not the comic or my stepbrother, goes for the Red Sox. While I root for him as a knucksie, I have to go with James Paxton, who finally put it together his last start.
• The Dodgers over the Rockies: Mike Bolsinger has been surprisingly good. That makes me nervous here. Kyle Kendrick has been kicking my butt for years here.
• The Nationals over the Padres: Why hasn't Stephen Strasburg become the star that I thought he would be? I don't know really. All I know is that I get killed whenever I pick him. But I keep doing it. Ian Kennedy is solid enough, but the Nats should mash him.
• The Cardinals over the Tigers: The Cards have not figured out how to stop Miguel Cabrera. If they can keep him in the yard, they can win, especially with Lance Lynn on the mound. Alfredo Simon has made me look foolish before though.

And the Pick of the Day:

• The Angels over the Orioles: Mike Wright makes his MLB debut for the Orioles. That is something I hardly ever pick for. Garrett Richards is the bomb anyway, so I have to go that way.

Yesterday: 8-7, May: 108-87, Season: 272-252, Picks of the Day: 22-17