Inside the Chalk

It took 15 innings to conclude last night’s game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Los Angeles Dodgers, with Arizona coming out on top, 8-7. Tonight they will do it again, with Los Angeles sending the best in the business, Clayton Kershaw, to the rubber and Arizona countering with Zack Godley. Los Angeles is 5-0 in Kershaw’s last 5 starts against Arizona and he has a career record of 14-8, with an ERA of 2.55 against the Snakes. Godley was 8-9 in 2017, with a respectable ERA of 3.37, and is 1-1 in his career against the Dodgers, with a 3.38 ERA. Due to last night’s marathon, relief pitching will be an issue, but the Dodgers will have the edge in this one because Kershaw can go deep in games.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

The World Champion Houston Astros will play their home opener tonight against the Baltimore Orioles. The Champs will send Charlie Morton to the hill. Morton was lights out in 2017, posting a record of 14-7, with a 3.62 ERA. Believe it or not, Chris Tillman is still employed and that is who Baltimore will send to the bump tonight. Tillman was awful in 2017, with a record of 1-7, and a bloated 7.84 ERA. To make matters worse, the Orioles are 3-14 in their last 17 meetings with the Astros and 0-6 in their last 6 trips to Houston. Altuve and company get it done.
TONIGHT’S PICK: HOUSTON ASTROS

The Pittsburgh Pirates and the Detroit Tigers will play a double-header today in the Motor City. Consider Detroit in the first game. The Tigers will send Michael Fulmer to the hill in Game 1. This guy is becoming the next ace of the Tigers. Last year, Fulmer was 10-12, with a 3.83 ERA, but battled arm issues. Fulmer proved there are no lingering arm issues because he was lights out this spring, posting an ERA of 2.12. The Pirates are expected to counter with Trevor Williams. Williams is mediocre at best, going 7-9 in 2017, with a 4.07 ERA, and Pittsburgh is 0-4 in his last 4 road starts.
TODAY’S PICK: DETROIT TIGERS

The Los Angeles Dodgers have yet to score a run in the 2018 campaign but that will change today when they play the third game of a 4-game set at the Ravine against their hated rival the San Francisco Giants. The Dodgers will send Kenta Maeda to the hill. This guy can deliver. Last year he won 13 games and had a great spring, going 2-0, with a 2.60 ERA. The Giants, out of desperation, signed Derek Holland to a 1-year deal. Holland should hang it up. Last year he was live bait for hitters, posting a record of 7-14, with a 6.20 ERA. Dodgers get on track today.
TODAY’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

The Washington Nationals and Cincinnati Reds game was postponed yesterday but they will try again today at Great American Ball Park. The Reds are slated to send Homer Bailey to the hill. Bailey was awful in 2017, with a record of 6-9 and an ERA of 6.43. He hasn’t seemed to have made any improvements over last year, going 0-2 with an ERA of 7.50 this spring. Bailey made two starts last year against the Nats and was throttled, allowing 16 runs in 5-2/3 innings of work. Washington is expected to give the nod to NL Cy Young Award winner, Max Scherzer. Scherzer was 16-6 last year, with an ERA of 2.51, and was 1-0 against the Reds where he pitched 6 scoreless innings. Washington is 5-0 in their last 5 trips to Cincinnati and All-Star Bryce Harper torched the Reds last year, going 12 for 29 with 3 home runs.
TODAY’S PICK: WASHINGTON NATIONALS

The Boston Red Sox will open the 2018 campaign on the road when they travel to Tropicana Field to face the Tampa Bay Rays. Boston is expected to send their ace southpaw, Chris Sale, to the hill. Sale, who led the Majors last year with 308 strikeouts, was also dominant against the Rays, going 4-1 with an ERA of 2.66. Tampa is expected to counter with Chris Archer. Archer went 1-1 against Boston in 2017, with an ERA of 5.87, and Tampa is just 3-11 in his last 14 starts against the Red Sox, which is not good. Tampa Bay has lost some key players this season: Evan Longoria, Logan Morrison, Corey Dickerson and Steven Souza, Jr. Both pitchers exited their last spring training outings early, with Sale taking one off the hip and Archer off his throwing forearm, but both say they are fine and ready to go. Boston has won 4 of its last 5 trips to Tampa and 5 of Sale’s last 6 starts against the Rays. The Red Sox are by far the better team. Consider them in this one.
TODAY’S PICK: BOSTON RED SOX