Month: September 2020

The Milwaukee Brewers will have to click on every cylinder when they open their Wild Card matchup at Chavez Ravine against the best team in baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Brewers have no right being in the postseason with a record of 29-31. The Dodgers finished a League best 43-17 and have beaten the Brew Crew 4 out of the last 5 meetings. Walker Buehler is expected to get the nod for the Dodgers and when he is healthy (which he is) he delivers.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

The Minnesota Twins and the Houston Astros will kick off the Wild Card today in an early one at Target Field. Today’s probable pitchers are Zack Greinke for the Astros and Kenta Maeda for the Twins. Father Time has caught up with the future Hall of Famer Greinke. He is 3-3 with a 4.03 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. On the flip side, Maeda has been delivering. He is 6-1 with a 2.70 ERA, a WHIP of just 0.75, and he has not forgotten the 2017 World Series when he was part of the Los Angeles Dodgers rotation. When Minnesota takes the field in Minneapolis, good things happen. They win. The Twins are 4-5 in their last 5 home games against the Astros and they will get it done today.
TODAY’S PICK: MINNESOTA TWINS

With a win today at home against the Cincinnati Reds, the Minnesota Twins will clinch the AL Central title for the second straight season. They will have a formidable flamethrower to contend with, Cincinnati’s Sonny Gray. Gray has been getting it done, with a 5-3 record, a 3.73 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. The Twins will turn to the crafty southpaw, Rich Hill, to throw strikes. Hill is 2-2 with a 3.27 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. Minnesota is 5-1 in their last 6 games and own a 24-6 record at Target Field. The Reds know where they are going in the postseason – Atlanta. Good luck. Minnesota needs this game and the Reds don’t.
TODAY’S PICK: MINNESOTA TWINS

The Cleveland Indians are surging and will go for their 7th straight victory when they play the middle game of a 3-game set against the worst team in baseball, the Pittsburgh Pirates, at Progressive Field. The probable starters for today’s matchup are Aaron Civale for the Indians and Joe Musgrove for the Bucs. Civale is 4-5 with a 3.99 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP as opposed to Musgrove who is winless, at 0-5 with a 4.68 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. Edge Cleveland. The Indians sit just one game game back of the Minnesota Twins for the top spot in the AL Central so losing is not in the cards. Cleveland has won the last 5 meetings with Pittsburgh and are hot. Ride them ’til their not.
TODAY’S PICK: CLEVELAND INDIANS

The Oakland Athletics may have clinched the AL West but they still have something to play for, sitting just half a game back of the Minnesota Twins for the second overall spot in the AL. The Athletics are expected to send Chris Bassitt to the hill and he has been delivering, with a mark of 5-2, a 2.57 ERA, and a 1.21 WHIP. The Mariners have southpaw Yusei Kikuchui slated to tap the rubber and has not been getting done. He is 2-4 with a 5.93 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. The Athletics crush lefties, going 44 -14 in their last 58, and are 6-2 in their last 8 against the Mariners at the Coliseum.
TONIGHT’S PICK: OAKLAND ATHLETICS

The San Francisco Giants will wrap up their 4-game set with the Colorado Rockies in a matinée today at Oracle Park. Losing is not an option for the Giants, who are battling the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds for a postseason berth. The Giants are expected to send Kevin Gausman to the hill. Gausman is 3-3 with a 3.76 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. The Rockies are expected to counter with Chi Chi González and his numbers are not good. González is winless, at 0-2, with an elevated ERA of 7.53 and a 1.53 WHIP. The Giants are getting hot, winning 2 straight, and are 4-1 in their last 5 against the Rockies at home.
TODAY’S PICK: SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS