Chavez Ravine will be the venue tonight for Game 1 of the National League Divisional Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks. The best southpaw in the game, Clayton Kershaw, will get the nod for the Dodgers. The flame-throwing lefty has a record of 18-4, with an ERA of 2.31, a stingy WHIP of 0.95, and has dominated Arizona this year, going 2-0 with an ERA of only 0.59. He will be opposed tonight by Taijuan Walker. The Diamondbacks have gone 0-4 in Walker’s last 4 starts and he is 9-9 on the season, with a 3.49 ERA, and a 1.33 WHIP. Arizona has won the last 6 meetings with Los Angeles but when Kershaw is on the hill it is a different story. The Dodgers are 4-0 in his last 4 starts against the Diamondbacks and 4-0 in his last 4 home starts against the Snakes. The number is high but don’t be afraid – consider the Dodgers.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS
Thursday MLB Pick
The American League Division Series kicks off today at Minute Maid Park and I like Chris Sale and the Boston Red Sox to take game 1 over Justin Verlander and the Houston Astros. This won’t be easy for Boston with Verlander on the hill. The veteran has been down this road before. Verlander is 15-8 on the season, with an ERA of 3.36, and since joining the Astros from Detroit, he is 5-0, with an ERA of just 1.06. The southpaw, Chris Sale, has enjoyed success against Houston, going 5-1 with an ERA of 1.31 in 6 career starts. Sale is 17-8 on the season, with a 2.90 ERA, and the Red Sox are 7-2 in his last 9 road starts. Houston led the American League in hitting with an average of .282 but they are 6-13 in their last 19 games against lefties. Road dog today.
TODAY’S PICK: BOSTON RED SOX
Wednesday MLB Pick
Two teams that know each other well, the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies, will meet at Chase Field tonight to decide the National League Wild Card. The Diamondbacks will send Zack Greinke to the hill to face the Rockies’ Jon Gray. Greinke has had another outstanding year, going 17-7, with an ERA of 3.20, and a 1.07 WHIP. The same can be said for Gray, who went 10-4, with an ERA of 3.67, and a 1.30 WHIP. Greinke has been lights out at home, posting a record of 13-1. Arizona had the upper hand this year over Colorado, winning 11 of the 19 contests, and outscoring them 101-69. I like the home team in this situation.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Tuesday MLB Pick
The New York Yankees hope to continue their dominance over the Minnesota Twins in post-season play when they square off tonight in the AL Wild Card game in the Bronx. The Yankees defeated the Twins in the AL Division Series in 2003, 2004, 2009 and 2010, going 12-2 during that span. There is no pitching edge tonight because both hurlers are equally lethal. The Yankees Luis Severino is 14-6, with a 2.98 ERA, and a 1.04 WHIP. Severino was 3-0 in 5 starts in September, with a 2.10 ERA, allowing just 15 hits and striking out 38 batters in 30 innings of work. The Twins counter with Ervin Santana. Santana is 16-8, with a 3.28 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP but has an ERA of 5.60 in 20 career starts against the Bombers. Minnesota is 0-5 in their last 5 playoff games, 17-50 in their last 67 meetings with New York, and 14-42 in their last 56 trips to Yankees Stadium. Edge Bombers.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES
Monday NFL Pick
The Washington Redskins will be getting 7 points tonight when they travel to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Kansas City Chiefs. Kirk Cousins was impressive last week when he threw for 365 yards with 3 touchdowns. The Redskins are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 road games and the Chiefs are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 home games. The road dog tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: WASHINGTON REDSKINS +7
Sunday NFL Pick
The Oakland Raiders should be without their star receiver, Michael Crabtree, when they take on the Denver Broncos today at Mile High. The Raiders David Carr did not look impressive last week against Washington when he completed just 19-31 passes for 118 yards and had 2 interceptions. To make matters worse, Oakland’s Amari Cooper is banged up with a knee issue but should suit up today. This will force the Raiders to hand the ball to Marshawn Lynch, who is definitely showing his age. Lynch rushed for just 18 yards last week on 6 carries against the Redskins. The Broncos defense is stellar, ranking #1 in the NFL against the rush, and holding teams to just 2.6 yards per carry. The Raiders are 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 meetings with Denver and 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games at Mile High Stadium.
TODAY’S PICK: DENVER BRONCOS -3
Saturday MLB Pick
The Cleveland Indians can clinch home field advantage throughout the American League post-season with a win today at home over the Chicago White Sox and I see that happening. Cleveland showed no mercy on Chicago yesterday, pummeling them 10-1. It won’t get any easier for the White Sox today because Corey Kluber is expected to go for the Indians. Cleveland’s ace has been throwing flames, with a record of 18-4, an ERA of 2.27, and a 0.86 WHIP. The Indians are 6-0 in Kluber’s last 6 starts against the White Sox and 4-1 in his last 5 turns against them at Progressive Field. The young upstart Carson Fulmer is expected to get the nod for the White Sox. Fulmer is 2-1, with a 4.42 ERA, a 1.31 WHIP, and was yanked early in his last start with a blister and that is always an issue. The White Sox are 15-38 in their last 53 road games and 0-5 in their last 5 meetings with the Indians. The number is high in this one and so it should be.
TONIGHT’S PICK: CLEVELAND INDIANS