SJ is locked and loaded for Saturday with a full list
of MLB picks.
Season
Record:
2012 MLB: 36-27-1 (+20.70 units)
2011 NFL: 48-33-7 (+34.75 units)
2011 NBA: 4-4-1 (-1.8 units)
2011
NCAA: 18-15-1
(-6.8 units)
*All bets
are weighted between 1 and 5 units.
Last Week
(1-3, -8.05 units)
I write these games up each Saturday and, when another week rolls by, I am
always faced with reviewing the previous Saturday, knowing full well whether I
won or lost despite the dizzying amount of games that pass during the
week. I thought that last week had been another
in a series of losers but, when I reviewed my plays, I had to look twice - nay, make that three and even four times as what I thought was a 1-3 day was
actually a 3-1 day! Did I fall asleep
early, wine glass in hand, already counting my losses before they
actually...lost?
Well, my lyin' eyes did deceive me because, unbeknownst to me, I was indeed reviewing
how my teams fared the following day,
Sunday July 29th and not Saturday July 28th. Woops, my bad. And, so it was that the Yankees (-1 ½ +105)
for 4 units, Rangers (-1 ½ -105) for 3 units and the Detroit Tigers -130 for 3
units all failed. All I can say is, thank
God for run lines. The Cincinnati Reds
were the only saving grace, and I had to lay -150 to pick up 3 units on my boys
from the Queen City.
Boys, they say it's a marathon, not a sprint, especially when you limp
several miles of this long MLB season in a walker and a splint. We were zipping right along in the early
going, but we are currently in a tailspin. This is the right time to cut down our units and resist the temptation
to recoup all we've recently lost in one fell swoop. But, of course, there is a little voice telling
you that winning less than you should is failing to maximize potential. I've been failing to maximize my potential my
entire life, so that is really not a huge concern - I've gotten used to it. You simply have to mute that little voice and
focus on getting back on track, collecting units and putting money back where
it rightfully belongs, in your wallet. So, let's throw this walker away, tear off the splint, get those Nikes
back on our feet, and move back towards the top of the pack with a sweep of the
board. There's no time like the present,
let's go.
Minnesota Twins vs. Boston Red Sox
I'm going to make this short and sweet.
If you watched last night's game between these two clubs, you will know
exactly why it is outrageous that umpires are still calling balls and strikes
when we have technology that clearly does it a whole lot better. In short, the Sox got screwed on both
ends. Felix Doubront was squeezed to the
point of distraction and subsequently flushed a four run lead while Jacoby
Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia were both called out looking at pitches that
weren't even close.
Tonight, the Sox get revenge for that and for leaving all those bases juiced
without being able to cash in. Clay
Buchholz is pitching like the stud that he is after some early season delivery
issues, and the Boston Red Sox are flat out the better team. They should have cashed last night but lost
6-5 due to a series of miscues at the plate...by the umpire! As Roger Daltrey sang so long ago, they "won't
get fooled again!"
Pick: Play the Red
Sox -1 ½ (+100) for 3 units
Chicago Cubs vs. L.A. Dodgers
The money line is obscene as the Dodgers are -300 in some shops, but I
say that's still too low. Chris Volstad
is the kind of ace you want on your staff - if, of course, your team happens to be
toiling in Double-A ball. But, as
a major leaguer, Volstad has been a lousy pitcher on a terrible team. This guy has gotten slammed harder than Jenna
Jameson trapped in a maximum security prison.
Let's let the numbers tell Volstad's woeful tale. He has a 5.01 ERA against the Dodgers during
his career and, the last time he faced L.A., he allowed 5 runs in five innings of
work on May 5 of this year. He is 0-12 dating back to last season with an ERA of 5.68 over his last
twenty starts. After being sent down to
Triple-A Iowa earlier this season, he went 3-5 with a 5.17 ERA in twelve
starts. I've seen better arms on chairs.
Now, on the other side, we have last season's Cy Young winner Clayton
Kershaw, who has been about as good this season as Volstad has been bad. OK, I embellish. Kershaw's Cy Young campaign from last season
wasn't as good as Volstad has been bad, but let's move on. After getting swept by the Diamondbacks in a
three-game set, L.A. returned home with a vengeance and took their frustrations
out on the Cubs in a 6-1 victory last night. Factor in that Kershaw has a 1.71 ERA against the Cubs in his career and
dazzled last month when he compiled a 2-0 record with a 1.29 ERA while striking
out 22 batters in 21 innings of work at home.
Look, it's clear we have a David versus Goliath scenario in front of us, but the only slingshot I see at Chicago's disposal would be the gem Volstand pitched in his most recent outing with Triple-A Iowa, tossing eight shutout
innings on July 27. Two
starts ago, Kershaw had a serious hiccup when he got rocked by the Cardinals in
St. Louis for 8 runs over 5 2/3 innings of work. Of course, he bounced back nicely when he
pitched a nine inning shutout against the Giants in a 4-0 win on July 29.
So, there you have it. We cannot lay the money line because there is
no such thing as a sure thing, so we'll hope the Dodgers' bats can stay hot, and
Volstad can remain "consistenty." I know Dodger Stadium is not conducive to
big totals, but we've got a small one here and we smell a blow out.
Pick: This one is going to be a double dipper
for us as we will play the Dodgers -1 ½ (-130) for 4 units and OVER 6 ½ (-115)
for 2 units.