Whaddup fellas. Can't believe baseball season is here already! Gonna keep track of my picks in one thread. I've decided to go with a different approach in '08. I am going to bet almost exclusively on series and not individual games. I am going to pick two series to start the week and two or three for the weekends. I'll also include in the series breakdowns a value pick where I'll go dog hunting for one individual game per series. However with the season opening series being just two games, we go with a play on "Opening Day" overseas. Feedback, bashing, constructive baseball talk - all encouraged and welcomed. Let's reap some ca$h in '08!
TUESDAY, MARCH 25: Red Sox-A's UNDER 9.5 [1 UNIT]
Always a crap shoot to try and cap the season opener as far as totals since you haven't seen a regular season lineup or game for either team - but I believe the UNDER here is the best wager.
Dice-K: 0-1, 2.57 ERA vs. OAK
Joe Blanton: 2-1, 3.58 ERA vs. BOS
Dice-K figures to be fired up in front of his native Japanese fans and should to be able to keep a weak Oakland lineup in check. Eric Chavez is out of the lineup to start the season, so that leaves a hole in the lineup with OAK still having some punch with Jack Cust, Travis Buck, Kurt Suzuki & Daric Barton. But Dice-K should be able to baffle the youngsters & make them pay for being impatient.
Joe Blanton meanwhile gets his first opening day start which I predict will go one of two ways - gasoline or quality start. I don't see an in-between for Blanton here. He has good lifetime #s vs. BOS in limited opportunity, but was a very different pitcher on the road last season vs. home ... being much worse on the road. If Blanton can keep the BoSox in check over 5-7 innings, the A's bullpen has the ability to shut down Boston late I believe.
Extra #s
In 8 meetings last season, the total played lower than 9.5 in five games. In Blanton's three starts vs. BOS, the Red Sox have scored five runs & the games have all gone UNDER In their last four opening days, the A's have only scored 7 runs - with all of those coming in two games. They've been shut out twice.