MLB Picks Friday 4/6: Yankees Rays Opener, Giants Dbacks, Rockies Astros

MLB Picks and Predictions, Friday 4/6: New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays Opener, San Francisco Giants at Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies at Houston Astros, Angels Royals, Cardinals Brewers

The New York Yankees are in action against the Tampa Bay Rays as they extend their time in sunny Florida to open the year. The San Francisco Giants seek redemption against the Arizona Diamondbacks, but Ian Kennedy will be formidable. The Rockies have amazing odds against the Astros, but does this mean Vegas knows something we don’t? Is there any way the Angels possibly lose to the Royals and Bruce Chen? Lastly, the Cardinals send their fourth starter our against the Brewers’ ace in a game that could dictate the future of the division.

It was an incredibly successful first day of the season with more than one game to bet. We went 5-2, losing only because of a blown save and a 1-0 loss where the Mets had four shutout innings of bullpen pitching. Honestly, those kind of losses happen in baseball and the predictions were dead on. Let’s keep rolling along in the second full day of baseball bets.

Chicago White Sox at Texas Rangers (-200)
Danks Vs Lewis

I’m of the opinion that you throw out preseason results when considering early season performance, but it’s nice to see the Rangers winning five of their last six to close out preseason baseball.

Colby Lewis isn’t the most trustworth pitcher, in my eyes, but the Rangers lineup is great. Hopefully yesterday’s no-offense nonsense ends in this game. I don’t like the odds. Small bet on the Rangers because Z Code says 70% odds.

Probably a good opportunity for a system play. Sure, Colby Lewis might get hit a bit, but can the Sox sweep a home series? I doubt it.

Rangers 5 – White Sox 4

Confidence: 2/6
Value: 1/6

Minnesota Twins (+120) at Baltimore Orioles
Pavano Vs Arrieta

I think the Twins will bounce back this season. They have one of the best managers in the game and they had time to really evaluate their team last year.

The Orioles are a scrappy team and they’re also well coached. They’ll have a bunch of upsets this year and their young talent makes them unpredictable and capable of unexpected wins. Vegas actually expects this win.

Pitching feels like a wash. Carl Pavano is consistent and a great opening day pitcher while Arrieta has a ton of up side. Ultimately, I’m going with the value of this line as I refuse to let go of the dream that the Twins are a dynasty in the Central. Do you see what happens when someone else wins the division? My Yankees fall in the first round of the playoffs. We need the Twins to be good so that we might crush them.

Twins 4 – O’s 3

Confidence: 2/6
Value: 3/6

New York Yankees (-130) at Tampa Bay Rays
CC Sabathia Vs James Shields

The Yankees have great odds with their best pitcher on the mound as they stay in Florida to take on the Tampa Bay Rays. “Big Game” James Shields gives us reason to worry a little bit, but it’s hard to turn down this tease of a line Vegas is offering us. The Yankees lineup is still one of the best in baseball, and they should get to James Shields a bit in the season opener for these two teams.

Yankees 6 – Rays 3

Confidence: 3/6
Value 4/6

Kansas City Royals at LA Angels
Chen Vs Weaver

The Angels have a huge advantage in pitching, hitting, fielding, and home-field attendance. What’s not to like? I like the money line and a run line to increase it’s value a bit in case the Angels run away with this one.

Angels 7 – Royals 2

Confdence 4/6
Value: 1/6

Seattle Mariners at Oakland A’s (-150)
Vargas Vs McCarthy

Who cares? Two bad teams with bad pitching play a bad game that I won’t be able to watch. I’m going with the home team because that could be the deciding factor when two of the worst squads in baseball meet in Oakland.

A’s 3 – Mariners 2

Confidence: 1/6
Value: 1/6

St. Louis Cardinals at Milwaukee Brewers (-130)
Garcia Vs Gallardo

The Brewers throw their ace against the fourth-best pitcher the Cardinals have on the roster. If they can’t win this game based on that advantage alone, this Brewers are in trouble. I realize Milwaukee lost one of their best hitters, but they should score some runs here. They’re a decent team, and I think they’re both about the same caliber, but the Brewers have a tremendous pitching advantage.

Brewers 5 – Cards 3

Confidence: 4/6
Value: 4/6

San Francisco Giants at Arizona Diamondbacks (-130)
Tim Lincecum Vs Ian Kennedy

Ian Kennedy had a great season last year and anchors a promising young team. Tim Lincecum is shaky at times, but still a dominant pitcher. This should be a fun one.

I like the D’backs here on their home field, but look forward to a great pitching matchup.

D’backs 3 – Giants 2

Confidence: 2/6
Value: 2/6

Colorado Rockies (-130) at Houston Astros
Guthrie Vs Rodriguez

Wandy Rodriguez is a mediocre pitcher on a bad team. The same can probably be said of Guthrie for the Rockies after their epic collapse for most of the season last year. However, remember how the Rockies started the year? They were on fire, winning convincingly for the entire first month. The Rockies are the better of these bad teams.

Quick – name four Astros players.

Rockies 5- Astros 3

Confidence: 3/6
Value: 5/6

Los Angeles Dodgers (+120) at San Diego Padres
Billingsley Vs Leubke

I think the Dodgers have a pitching advantage with Chad Billingsley, despite a thoroughly mediocre campaign last year. That pitching advantage was enough for them to win the opener of this series, and I think it’s good enough to win the second game too.

Dodgers 5 – Padres 3

Confidence: 3/6
Value: 4/6

April: 5-3

5-2 yesterday