Author: Roger

The New York Yankees last trip to Tampa was not a favorable one so now it’s payback time for the Bombers when they open a 3-game set tonight against the Rays at Tropicana Field. The Rays will continue with their experiment of using relievers as starters. They will start the rookie Hunter Wood, who will probably see an inning or two of work. Wood is 0-0, with a 2.70 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP in 13-1/3 innings of work. The Yankees will send their ace, Luis Severino, to the rubber. Severino has been mowing everyone down with a record of 14-2, a 2.31 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP, and has dominated Tampa. He is 7-1 in his career against the Rays, with a 2.38 ERA. Yanks get the win tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The Colorado Rockies will go for their eighth straight win and the series sweep over the host Arizona Diamondbacks, but not so fast. Colorado will send Antonio Senzatela to the rubber. Senzatela is 3-2, with a 5.34 ERA, a 1.32 WHIP, and the Rockies are 1-6 in his last 7 road starts. Senzatela has been fighting a blister on his right middle finger and that’s always a season-long hindrance. Arizona will go with the best they have, Zack Greinke. Greinke has been pitching as good as anyone in the Majors. He is 10-5, with a 3.18 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, and over his last 3, he is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. The Snakes are 5-1 in Greinke’s last 6 starts and 22-8 in his last 30 turns at Chase Field.
TODAY’S PICK: ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

The Philadelphia Phillies laid a beating on the San Diego Padres last night, as most teams do, 11-5. They will meet again tonight at Citizens Bank Park for the second game of a 3-game set. Year in and year out, it seems the San Diego Padres don’t even care about putting a quality product on the field and whenever a player shows potential, what do they do? They get rid of him. Tonight the Friars will send Luis Perdomo to the hill and how this guy is in a starting rotation in the Majors is beyond me. Perdomo is 1-4, with a 7.55 ERA, and a 2.10 WHIP in 31 innings of work. The Phillies, who are tough at home at 31-16, will send Vince Velasquez to the rubber. Velasquez is 5-8, with a 4.39 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP, and has been sharp over his last three turns, lowering his ERA to 1.93 and his WHIP to 1.00. San Diego has lost 6 in a row, 8 of their last 10, and are 4-12 in their last 16 games in Philly. Consider a play on the Phillies tonight.
TODAY’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

The Seattle Mariners lost 4 straight going into the break but they should be able to get back on track tonight when they open a 3-game set at Safeco Field against the lowly Chicago White Sox. Chicago will send James Shields to the rubber. Shields is not the force he once was, coming into tonight’s game with a record of 4-10, a 4.43 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. Southpaw Wade LeBlanc will get the call for Seattle. LeBlanc is 5-1, with a 3.63 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. The White Sox have been horrendous on the road at 14-33 and they are 1-5 in their last 6 meetings with the Mariners. In LeBlanc’s last 14 turns at Safeco, the Mariners are 14-0. Seattle should get back in the Win column tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: SEATTLE MARINERS

There’s only one game in the Majors today, with the Chicago Cubs hosting the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cubs are starting to pour it on, winning 3 in a row and 12 of their last 15. The pitching match-up will be Carlos Martinez getting the nod for St. Louis and Kyle Hendricks for Chicago. Both of these pitchers have similar numbers. Martinez is 6-5 with a 3.08 ERA and Hendricks is 6-8 with a 3.92 ERA. St. Louis fired their manager, Mike Matheny prior to the break so the clubhouse could be in a bit of disarray. The Cardinals have struggled at Wrigley Field, going 1-6 in their last 7 games and the Cubs are 5-0 in Hendrick’s last 5 starts against St. Louis. Chicago’s hot, ride them ’til their not.
TODAY’S PICK: CHICAGO CUBS

The Los Angeles Dodgers lost in extra innings last night to the Los Angeles Angels, 5-4. Today the two teams meet again in a matinée at the Ravine for the final game before the break. The Dodgers will send the best they have to the rubber, southpaw Clayton Kershaw. Is Kershaw back to his true form? I would say so. In his last 3 turns, he is 2-0, with a 1.59 ERA and a 0.65 WHIP. Kershaw has dominated Trout and company. The Dodgers are 5-0 in his last 5 starts against the Halos and 4-0 in his last 4 turns against them at home. Pitching has been an issue for the Angels and they will reach into the barrel today to send Deck McGuire to the hill. McGuire is 0-1, with a 6.10 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP in 20-2/3 innings of work, which is not good. The Angles are just 4-13 in their last 17 games against lefties so it could be a long day for them.
TODAY’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS