Month: September 2018

The New York Yankees clinched a playoff berth yesterday but are just 1-1/2 games ahead of the Oakland Athletics for the right to host the Wild Card game, so they have to keep winning. Today the Yankees will host the Baltimore Orioles for the final game of a 3-game set and are expected to call on J.A. Happ to throw strikes. Happ is 16-6 on the season, with a 3.62 ERA, and a 1.13 WHIP. Since joining the Yanks from Toronto, Happ is still unbeaten, at 6-0, with a 2.39 ERA. Baltimore is expected to send Alex Cobb to the rubber. Cobb is 5-15, with an ERA of 4.90, a WHIP of 1.41, and has been fighting a blister on his throwing hand, which is never a good thing. The Orioles are just 1-5 in their last 6 road games against southpaws and 8-20 in their last 28 meetings with the Yankees. Consider the Bombers today in an early one.
TODAY’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The Chicago Cubs had better get back on track soon because the Milwaukee Brewers are just 1-1/2 games back of them for the NL Central lead. That should happen tonight when the Cubs resume play on the southside against the Chicago White Sox. Southpaw Jon Lester will get the start for the Cubs. Lester is having another outstanding year, at 16-6, with a 3.43 ERA, a 1.31 WHIP, and the Cubs are 9-1 in his last 10 road starts. Lucas Giolito will get the nod for the White Sox and he has been struggling. Giolito is 10-11 on the year, with a 5.77 ERA, and is 0-2 in his last 3 turns with an ERA of 6.91. The White Sox are 1-5 in their last 6 home games and 0-4 in Giolito’s last 4 starts. Rizzo and company get it done tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: CHICAGO CUBS

It is apparent the Los Angeles Angels just want this season to end, after getting outscored by the Oakland Athletics 31-3 in their last two outings. Tonight the Angels will travel to Minute Maid Park to face the Houston Astros for a 3-game set. Houston’s Gerrit Cole, who is 14-5 with an ERA of 2.88, will square off against the Angel’s lefty Andrew Heaney, who is 9-9 with an ERA of 3.97. Houston has won 7 of the last 10 meetings and are 6-0 in Cole’s last 6 home starts against teams with a losing record. The Astros can feel the heat from the Oakland Athletics and know they have to take care of business in this series.
TONIGHT’S PICK: HOUSTON ASTROS

The Philadelphia Phillies’ chances of catching the NL East leading Atlanta Braves are slim, to say the least, and tonight the two teams will open a 4-game set at SunTrust Park. The Braves will have Kevin Gausman tapping the rubber and, since being acquired from Baltimore in July, he has been paying dividends, with a record of 5-2, a 2.61 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. The Phillies will give the nod to Vince Velasquez and he has been a disappointment, with a record of 9-11, a 4.50 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. Velasquez is 0-4 this year against Atlanta with an inflated ERA of 7.41. I like the Braves in this situation.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ATLANTA BRAVES

The Los Angeles Dodgers have a 1-1/2 game lead in the NL West over Colorado and will go for a sweep tonight against the Rockies at Chavez Ravine. The Rockies will send the unpredictable Tyler Anderson to the hill and he is 6-9, with a 4.82 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. The Dodgers will counter with their young right-hander, Walker Buehler, and he has been getting it done, with a record of 7-5, a 2.88 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP. The Dodgers have been hot, winning seven of their last ten. Ride ‘em til they’re not,
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

The Philadelphia Phillies’ playoff chances are still alive, but barely, so they will have to notch a win tonight when they host the New York Mets. The chances of that happening look good because Aaron Nola will be on the hill for Philadelphia. Nola is 16-5, with a 2.42 ERA and a WHIP of only 0.97. He will be opposed by the Metropolitan’s Steven Matz, who is 5-11, with a 4.18 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. Nola has been lights out at home this year with a record of 9-2 and an ERA of 2.46, and he has four wins against the Mets this year. Consider the Phillies in this one.
TONIGHT’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

The Milwaukee Brewers lost two out of three over the weekend to the Pittsburgh Pirates but are still just 2-1/2 games back of the NL Central leading Chicago Cubs. The Brewers will call on Wade Miley to right the ship. Miley is 4-2, with a 2.23 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. The Reds will give the nod to Anthony DeSclafani, who is 7-5, with a 4.80 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. Milwaukee is 11-5 in their last 16 games with Cincinnati and over that span they’ve racked up 80 runs. The Brewers need to win this game.
TONIGHT’S PICK: MILWAUKEE BREWERS