4-17 Predictions

For the first time in this young season I am 10 games over .500.  With all 30 teams playing today I have a chance to stretch that out even more if I can continue the good run I have been having the last thee days.  Onto the picks!

Away	Home	Time (ET)	Away Probable	Home Probable
Astros	Nationals	7:05pm	Rodriguez (0-1)	Gonzalez (0-0)
Twins	Yankees	7:05pm	Liriano (0-1)	Sabathia (0-0)
Rays	Blue Jays	7:07pm	Niemann (0-1)	Romero (1-0)
Cubs	Marlins	7:10pm	Dempster (0-1)	Johnson (0-2)
Mets	Braves	7:10pm	Santana (0-1)	Delgado (1-0)
Rangers	Red Sox	7:10pm	Lewis (1-0)	Lester (0-1)
Orioles	White Sox	8:10pm	Chen (0-0)	Danks (1-1)
Tigers	Royals	8:10pm	Smyly (0-0)	Chen (0-0)
Dodgers	Brewers	8:10pm	Billingsley (2-0)	Gallardo (1-1)
Reds	Cardinals	8:15pm	Cueto (1-0)	Lohse (2-0)
Padres	Rockies	8:40pm	Bass (0-1)	Moyer (0-2)
Pirates	D-backs	9:40pm	Karstens (0-1)	Kennedy (2-0)
Athletics	Angels	10:05pm	Ross (0-0)	Haren (0-1)
Indians	Mariners	10:10pm	Masterson (0-1)	Millwood (0-0)
Phillies	Giants	10:15pm	Blanton (1-1)	Bumgarner (1-1)

Astros (Rodriguez) vs Nationals (Gonzalez)

The Washington Nationals continue to impress in 2012 and it is in large part to the starting rotation pitching lights out.  Now they give the ball to Gio Gonzalez who is looking to build on an impressive start last time out.  The most important thing for Gonzalez was that he didn't walk anyone.  He is a damn good pitcher if he can cut down on the walks, he had 91 of them last year in leading the majors, and is looking to continue to control his pitches.

Pick: Nationals

Twins (Liriano) vs Yankees (Sabathia)

Shocker here that Francisco Liriano has struggled out of the gate in 2012.  I think that the Yankees will be irritated that Carl Pavano beat them last night and will take it out on Liriano.  Sabathia hasn't been as sharp so far in 2012 and this is a good team for him to face.  I think the Yankees win and Sabathia gets his first win in 2012.

Pick: Yankees

Rays (Niemann) vs Blue Jays (Romero)

Ricky Romero made 5 starts last season against the Tampa Bay Rays and won 3 of them with an ERA of 2.02 overall.  Romero is going to face off against Jeff Niemann, who is looking for his first win of the year.  I think that Ricky Romero is one of the most underrated pitchers in all of baseball and I think that Toronto will win the opener of the series.

Pick: Blue Jays

Cubs (Dempster) vs Marlins (Johnson)

Ozzie Guillen is back today after serving a 5 game suspension and Josh Johnson looks to settle down after a rocky two outings down in Miami.  The Marlins took their first series of the year, beating the Astros in extra innings on Sunday to take the rubber match.  The Cubs counter with Ryan Dempster and I think it will be a pitchers duel today and I think the Cubs will do a little bit more to get the win.

Pick: Cubs

Mets (Santana) vs Braves (Delgado)

I am picking the Mets here because the Braves have completely let me down the first 4 games against New York.  Plus Johan Santana is left handed and will shut down the Braves again.

Pick: Mets

Rangers (Lewis) vs Red Sox (Lester)

The Texas Rangers have the best record in the American League and now they get to face the disaster that is the Boston Red Sox.  Boston is having issues both on the field and in the clubhouse and all they get now is 2 against the Rangers and 3 against the rival Yankees.  I think they get off on the right foot today as Jon Lester will get the win.

Pick: Red Sox

Orioles (Chen) vs White Sox (Danks)

Baltimore won the opener of the series yesterday by showing some power.  Nolan Reimold, Adam Jones, and Matt Weiters all hit home runs to help lead the Orioles to a 10-4 win.  Now they face John Danks, who they had success against last year.  I predict that Baltimore will continue their hot hitting ways and win tonights ballgame.

Pick: Orioles

Tigers (Smyly) vs Royals (Chen)

I am picking the Tigers here because I still don't trust Bruce Chen.  He has had a good start to his 2012 campaign but he needs to sustain it for a little longer before I feel comfortable picking the Royals in a game he starts.  My prediction is that Detroit gets to Chen early and Drew Smyly pitches well enough to earn his first Major League win.

Pick: Tigers

Dodgers (Billingsley) vs Brewers (Gallardo)

The Dodgers finally face a team that has some semblance of an offense, as Los Angeles goes out to Milwaukee to face the Brewers.  The Dodgers went 9-1 against the Padres and Pirates which are the worst hitting teams in the National League right now.  Chad Billingsley has been lights out so far but this is a much tougher task.  I am picking the Brewers and Yovani Gallardo to get the win tonight.

Pick: Brewers

Reds (Cueto) vs Cardinals (Lohse)

I know it is early but if the season ended today Kyle Lohse might be the favorite to win the National League Cy Young award.  He has looked that good in his first 2 starts, including allowing only 1 run in 6 innings against the Reds last week.  I think Lohse continues his hot start and the Cardinals score a couple runs off of Johnny Cueto to get the win.

Pick Cardinals

Padres (Bass) vs Rockies (Moyer)

Jamie Moyer makes his third attempt to become the oldest pitcher to earn a win in Major League history and I predict that he will get it today.  Even though it is scary picking the pitcher who has allowed the most home runs in Major League history to get a win at Coors Field, he is facing the Padres here.  Moyer will shut down the Padres and get the win. In fact this is my lock.

Pick: Rockies. This is my lock of the day.

Pirates (Karstens) vs Diamondbacks (Kennedy)

With the Pirates struggling to hit the ball, Ian Kennedy is one of the last pitchers they want to see.  They try to break out of their season long hitting slump against Kennedy and the Diamondbacks, and I just don't see it happening.  The Diamondbacks will continue to shut down the Pirates and improve to 5-0 at home in this young season.

Pick: Diamondbacks

Athletics (Ross) vs Angels (Haren)

In the Yoenis Cespedes strikeout watch he is up to 15, which is putting him on pace for 221 for the season. Facing Dan Haren probably will not help Cespedes at all, as Haren racks up a lot of strikeouts himself.  Haren is looking for his first win of the 2012 season and he gets it today as the Angels once again beat the Athletics.

Pick: Angels

Indians (Masterson) vs Mariners (Millwood)

Kevin Millwood makes his second start of the 2012 season and it is once against one of his former teams.  After pitching well against the Rangers he is facing a much less talented offense in Cleveland.  Well less talented unless they are facing the Kansas City Royals, who they put 32 runs on in sweeping them over the weekend.  The Mariners make the Indians look like the 2012 Indians and not the 1927 Yankees and they win tonight.

Pick: Mariners

Phillies (Blanton) vs Giants (Bumgarner)

Madison Bumgarner is making his first start since signing a 5-year contract extension that will keep him in San Francisco until 2017.  I like this move for the Giants as they signed a good young pitcher to a relatively cheap deal.  Bumgarner will reward them right away in getting the win tonight against Joe Blanton and the Phillies.

Pick: Giants