Category: Baseball

The New York Yankees find themselves down 1-0 to the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS after Saturday’s 1-0 loss at the Trop. Tonight in Game 2 in St. Pete, the Yankees will try to even the score and they have the right guy on the mound to accomplish that with Cam Schlittler getting the start. Schlittler was lethal in the regular season and that has traversed into the postseason. In Game 1 of the AL Wild Card against the Boston Red Sox the right-hander was in the zone once again allowing only 2 hits, 0 runs, with 10 punch outs over 6-1/3 innings of work and the Yankees went on to an 9-0 shellacking. The Rays are expected to send Freddy Peralta to the hill and even the Yankees’ lethargic bats who mustered just 1 hit in Saturday’s loss should be able to get to him. Peralta was 10-11 in the regular season with an elevated 4.42 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. The Yankees might be on the road, but when they play at the Trop it isn’t really. There will be more New York fans in attendance than Tampa Bay fans, I guarantee you that. The Bombers even the score.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The San Diego Padres should be up 1-0 in the NLDS, but they are not. Ty France crushed a ball that was headed for the bleachers with a man on first in the top of the 9th, but his rocket hit a roof cable. Really? Give me a break. Baseball diamonds should not have roofs over them. Today in Game 2 at American Family Field the Padres need to take care of business and they will. If this series is knotted up when it heads to San Diego for the next two, the Brewers will be in trouble. The Padres had one of the best home records in all of baseball and swept the Brewers in a 3-game set back in August at Petco, outscoring them 18-7 over the 3 games. The Brewers will send Logan Henderson to the hill. Henderson was dominant in the regular season with a record of 11-3, a 2.47 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP but the last time he faced San Diego on August 10th he was on the losing end. San Diego tagged him for 5 hits, 3 runs, and the Friars went on to a 3-2 victory. Michael King will get the nod for the Padres. In Game 1 of the NL Wild Card with the Chicago Cubs, King was throwing flames. He pitched 7 strong allowing only 1 hit with 8 K’s and San Diego rolled to an 8-0 romp. The Padres as usual are getting no respect and they should be feared. This team is loaded with talent, 1-9, and has a pitching staff that can go toe-to-toe with anybody.
TONIGHT’S PICK: SAN DIEGO PADRES

It looked as if the Philadelphia Phillies season was over yesterday, down late 3-1 to the Atlanta Braves, but it wasn’t. They rallied with back-to-back home runs by Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper to tie it in the 8th and went on to win 4-3 and push a game 3 for tonight to decide who heads off to Chavez Ravine on Saturday. The starting pitchers have yet to be announced but it will likely be Grant Holmes for the Braves and Zack Wheeler for the Phillies. If this is the case, Philadelphia has the edge. Holmes was 10-6 in the regular season with a 3.44 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. Wheeler has been in this situation before and was 14-5 in the regular season with a 3.00 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Philadelphia seems to be getting no respect in this one and they should be. They have momentum on their side and Don Mattingly calling the shots.
TONIGHT’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

The Philadelphia Phillies are on the brink of elimination after their 5-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves yesterday in the best of 3 NL Wild Card Series. Today at Truist Park the Phillies will turn to southpaw Cristopher Sánchez to throw strikes and that is what the 2-time All-Star does. Sánchez was 18-7 in the regular season with a 2.91 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP but has to go deep into the game with Philadelphia’s shaky bullpen if they want to push this series to a Game 3. The Braves will send Tyler Mahle to the hill. He was 7-10 in the regular season with a 3.99 ERA, a 1.23 WHIP, and in his last turn in a losing cause against the Cincinnati Reds Mahle was tagged for 5 runs on 6 hits over 5 frames and the Reds prevailed 7-6. This Phillies team is loaded with heavy hitters like Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, etc., etc., and Donnie Baseball will have his boys ready.
TODAY’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox will kick off the best of 3 ALWC games tonight in the Bronx. The lock for the AL Cy Young award Cam Schlittler will get the nod for the Yankees. The Mass. native was lethal all season, going 14-6 with a 1.95 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP, and owned Boston this year. In 4 starts, Schlittler was 2-1 with a nasty ERA of only 0.74. The Red Sox will counter with Payton Tolle who was 9-6 with a 3.03 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, and Judge or no Judge the Yankees hitters should be able to get to him. The Bombers won the last two meetings with the Red Sox this year in the Bronx, outscoring them 25-3 over the two games and it goes without saying the Yankees fans will be in rare form for this one. Consider the Boys from River Ave.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The Toronto Blue Jays and the Baltimore Orioles will play a day/night double-header today at Camden Yards. More often than not teams split double-headers, so whoever loses Game 1, take them in Game 2. TONIGHT’S PICK: GAME 1 LOSER

The San Diego Padres will be a road dog tonight when they visit the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Padres are the hottest team in baseball, and they will take care of business tonight against their archrival, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
TONIGHT’S PICK: SAN DIEGO PADRES