In today’s MLB picks of the day we have a game that includes the Blue Jays and Mariners and also the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins. See who we believe holds the edge it both of these matchups.
Seattle is hot
The Mariners have quietly won 8 of their last 10 games and
are feeling great. For once they are swinging the bats and producing runs in
their home ball park, after averaging just below 2 runs at Safeco all year. In their
last five home games Seattle has scored 25 runs while their pitching has held
opponents to just twelve runs. As if they couldn't be feeling any better about
themselves, they'll send their most consistent pitcher (behind Felix Hernandez)
in Justin Vargas to the mound today.
Vargas
Vargas is quietly one of the league’s most productive pitchers,
but only at Safeco field. He is a product of where he pitches, but we will not
complain, as we get him at home today. Vargas owns a 3.76 ERA on the year, but
like his team has been especially hot as of late. In his last 3 starts, Vargas
has posted an ERA of 1.80, 1.20 WHIP while giving up just 15 hits in 20 innings
pitched. The Mariners are 3-0 in those games pitched by Jason. As I said Vargas is a product of Safeco,
where he owns a rock solid 2.63 ERA, giving up just 48 hits in 65 innings
pitched, just 19 earned runs, and more importantly only 6 deep balls. His low
homerun total will help when going against a Jays team that relies on the long
ball.
Blue Jays injuries taking its toll. Starting pitching.
The Jays’ offense is now starting to feel the pain without
Jose Bautista and JP Arencibia. Over their past 2 games, Toronto has been held
to just 1 run total. They have been running a lineup that consist of, Rajai
Davis, Colby Rasmus, Brett Lawrie, Edwin Encarnacion, Travis Snider, Yunel
Escobar, Kelly Johnson, Yan Gomes and Anthony Gose. Not exactly murderers row
eh?
The Jays will send Aaron Laffey to the bump today. He had
gotten off to a tremendous start, and Toronto thought they may have found a
diamond in the rough. False alarm; it’s just good old Aaron Laffey!
Laffey had a sub 2 ERA over his first couple of starts, but
over his last three outings he has seen that ERA balloon to 4.08, with a
disturbing WHIP of 1.56, giving up 21 hits in just 14 innings pitched. Laffey
has not made it past the 5th inning in two out of his last three
outings.
We feel the Mariners hold the significant edge in tonight's pitching matchup. With the Blue Jays injury problems, Seattle should have the
offensive advantage as well. Who would have ever thought that the Mariners
would be holding an offensive edge? At -120 we can't pass up a Seattle team
that is hot and running out one of their best pitchers against an injury
riddled Toronto squad.
MLB Pick: Mariners -120
Chicago at Minnesota
Just a few days ago, the Twins traded long time starting
pitcher Francisco Liriano to division foes the Chicago White Sox. Just days
later Liriano will turn around and face his former squad in his former ball
park.
Liriano has got to be jacked up for this one, and he will be
looking to bring his best stuff. When Francisco is on his game, he is one of
the nastiest left handers in the league. Liriano has an ERA that sits just a
bit above five, but still has the skills to be great and just needs to get his
command back and mechanics fixed. This is something that long time pitching
coach Don Cooper can certainly fix.
The reason why we say Liriano still has his elite stuff is
that he has struck out 109 batters in 100 IP, but has walked 55. This is a
problem that is fixable, however, the Twins were just fed up with him. If Don
Cooper can fix this guy up, they just got themselves a true number one ace for
a bag of balls.
Nick Blackburn
Blackburn will take the mound for the Twins tonight and every
time he does he is suspect to getting torched. Nick has an ERA of 8 on the year,
while giving up an astounding 107 hits in just 74 innings pitched with a 1.75
ERA. He is getting even worse as the year progresses too, and in his last three
starts his ERA is close to 10, while giving up 25 hits in 15 innings pitched.
We are not quite sure how he is still in the big leagues because the guy simply
cannot get hitters out.
Ironically enough, Blackburn made his last start against the
White Sox and was absolutely drilled for 10 hits on 8 earned runs, 2 home runs
in just 4 innings pitched. You don't think that start is going to weigh heavy
on his mind tonight? He's going to have no self confidence at all knowing every
batter in this line up owns him. He can't possibly even believe that he will
have a good outing tonight, and right there you are already defeated before you
take the hill.
We will for sure back the White Sox here as -145 favorites
with Liriano looking to get even with his former team and Nick Blackburn looking
to get lit up yet once again.
MLB Pick: The Chicago White Sox are our final MLB pick of the day. Good
Luck everyone!