September 29th 2010 : MLB picks and analyses
Baseball Pick: Texas Rangers -155
Harden has dominated Seattle in the past. He’s 5-2 with a superb 1.88 ERA and 0.979 WHIP in eight starts vs. the Mariners. Note that the M’s haven’t faced Harden (as a starter) in a few years, which could work to his advantage. Granted, this is not the same Harden that, when healthy, used to rank among the best pitchers in the game. I believe that he’s still capable though. (He has a 3.79 ERA in eight home starts with the Rangers going 5-3.) He’ll be motivated to help his team avoid the sweep and I expect him to receive some solid run support. While Harden hasn’t started against Seattle for some time, the Rangers have seen plenty of Vargas this season. In three 2010 starts vs. Texas, Vargas is 1-2 with an ugly 6.23 ERA. Note that Vargas is 0-3 with a 5.71 ERA his last three starts. For the season, he’s 2-7 with a 5.21 ERA in 14 road starts. The M’s were a money-burning 3-11 (-6.8) in those games, including a 6-2 loss here at Texas. True, the Rangers are just trying to get ready for the playoffs. Getting swept at home by Seattle isn’t what they need though. Consider laying the wood.
Baseball Pick: Minnesota Twins -105
I’m playing the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night. Enough is enough already. The Twins have dropped five in a row against inferior competition, and they’re now a full two games back of Tampa Bay for the top record in the American League. But tonight, they get “just what the doctor ordered.” Scott Baker takes the bump and he’ll face the anemic Kansas City “attack.” Baker owns strong numbers against the Royals. He’s also been pitching well in general. The righthander has held his last nine opponents to 18 earned runs and 63 base runners in 51 2/3 innings of work. That translates to a 3.13 ERA & 1.22 WHIP. The Twins are 8-1 in those nine outings. The Royals will counter with Luke Hochevar, who’s been crushed by the Twins in seven career appearances. Jim Thome and J.J. Hardy will miss this one, but the Twins may get back the services of Joe Mauer as tonight’s DH. Minnesota has not been swept in KC in 16 years. I expect them to keep that streak alive with a win tonight. I’m playing the Twins on Wednesday.
Baseball Pick: Phillies vs. Nationals Under 9
At 7:05 pm, our complimentary selection is on the Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals ‘under’ the total. Regardless of the outcome of this, the last game for the Phillies in DC for 2010, the team will always look back fondly on Nationals Park for the 2010 season. On Monday night, this Philadelphia club clinched their fourth straight NL East pennant in the Nations Capital, and there were more than a handful of Phillies fans who had made the trek down I-95 to join in the celebration. Tonight, you can bet that Philadelphia will rest many of its starters (Tuesday night they sat Victorino, Werth, and Polanco) and not take any chances as they prepare for their quest for a third straight National League Chamionship. Righthander Joe Blanton will probably be on a pitch count, but even so, he could dominate this Nationals club as he has been surging late in the season and the Phils have won an incredible six straight Blanton starts and nine of his last 10 trips to the hill. Making his job that much easier is the fact that Washington’s top player, third-baseman Ryan Zimmerman is out with an injury to his ribs and probably won’t return this season. Without him, the Nationals have scored only six runs in their last four games. Take the ‘under.’ As always, good luck
Harden has dominated Seattle in the past. He’s 5-2 with a superb 1.88 ERA and 0.979 WHIP in eight starts vs. the Mariners. Note that the M’s haven’t faced Harden (as a starter) in a few years, which could work to his advantage. Granted, this is not the same Harden that, when healthy, used to rank among the best pitchers in the game. I believe that he’s still capable though. (He has a 3.79 ERA in eight home starts with the Rangers going 5-3.) He’ll be motivated to help his team avoid the sweep and I expect him to receive some solid run support. While Harden hasn’t started against Seattle for some time, the Rangers have seen plenty of Vargas this season. In three 2010 starts vs. Texas, Vargas is 1-2 with an ugly 6.23 ERA. Note that Vargas is 0-3 with a 5.71 ERA his last three starts. For the season, he’s 2-7 with a 5.21 ERA in 14 road starts. The M’s were a money-burning 3-11 (-6.8) in those games, including a 6-2 loss here at Texas. True, the Rangers are just trying to get ready for the playoffs. Getting swept at home by Seattle isn’t what they need though. Consider laying the wood.
Baseball Pick: Minnesota Twins -105
I’m playing the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night. Enough is enough already. The Twins have dropped five in a row against inferior competition, and they’re now a full two games back of Tampa Bay for the top record in the American League. But tonight, they get “just what the doctor ordered.” Scott Baker takes the bump and he’ll face the anemic Kansas City “attack.” Baker owns strong numbers against the Royals. He’s also been pitching well in general. The righthander has held his last nine opponents to 18 earned runs and 63 base runners in 51 2/3 innings of work. That translates to a 3.13 ERA & 1.22 WHIP. The Twins are 8-1 in those nine outings. The Royals will counter with Luke Hochevar, who’s been crushed by the Twins in seven career appearances. Jim Thome and J.J. Hardy will miss this one, but the Twins may get back the services of Joe Mauer as tonight’s DH. Minnesota has not been swept in KC in 16 years. I expect them to keep that streak alive with a win tonight. I’m playing the Twins on Wednesday.
Baseball Pick: Phillies vs. Nationals Under 9
At 7:05 pm, our complimentary selection is on the Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals ‘under’ the total. Regardless of the outcome of this, the last game for the Phillies in DC for 2010, the team will always look back fondly on Nationals Park for the 2010 season. On Monday night, this Philadelphia club clinched their fourth straight NL East pennant in the Nations Capital, and there were more than a handful of Phillies fans who had made the trek down I-95 to join in the celebration. Tonight, you can bet that Philadelphia will rest many of its starters (Tuesday night they sat Victorino, Werth, and Polanco) and not take any chances as they prepare for their quest for a third straight National League Chamionship. Righthander Joe Blanton will probably be on a pitch count, but even so, he could dominate this Nationals club as he has been surging late in the season and the Phils have won an incredible six straight Blanton starts and nine of his last 10 trips to the hill. Making his job that much easier is the fact that Washington’s top player, third-baseman Ryan Zimmerman is out with an injury to his ribs and probably won’t return this season. Without him, the Nationals have scored only six runs in their last four games. Take the ‘under.’ As always, good luck