MLB Game Picks - Sunday: July 27, 2014

I am writing this on Saturday night because we are heading on the road for a five hour drive at six in the morning to pick up a puppy. Scary stuff! So there will not be results in this post from Saturday. I can tell you that after four completed games, I'm already down 1-3, so that doesn't bode well. The only correct pick was the Blue Jays win.

Here are Sunday's picks:

• The Yankees over the Blue Jays: J.A. Happ has had a remarkably good season. That said, the Yankees are very familiar with him. On the other hand, Shane Greene is a bit of an unknown for the Blue Jays. The Blue Jays broke the Yankee Stadium streak. But it lasts only a game.
• The Nationals over the Reds: This pick was wrong on Saturday as the Reds won, 1-0 behind Cueto. Mat Latos has been good for the Reds and his WHIP is much better than his results. The Reds, however, are not hitting and Doug Fister can shut them down.
• The Phillies over the Diamondbacks: It's not like I want to pick Roberto Hernandez to win. Ugh. No. But at the same time, I have watched a lot of Vidal Nuno this season and I certainly cannot pick him to win. Not many good options here.
• The Bay Rays over the Red Sox: Trading Jake Peavy told me all I wanted to know about where the Red Sox think they are. Allen Webster will probably be okay, but Chris Archer is the pick here.
• The White Sox over the Twins: This is another one where I pick the lesser of two evils...kind of like a Presidential election. Yohan Pino has been decent and fairly consistent. But he is nothing special really. Scott Carroll has been much better on the road than at home.
• The Royals over the Indians: Bruce Chen is such a smile machine. How does he get anyone out? But at home, something just happens. I'll never figure it out. Danny Salazar was fairly impressive in his first start back from the minors.
• The Astros over the Marlins. Tom Koehler didn't get it done for me, so I am hoping Collin McHugh does better. Jacob Turner was better his last time out, so this could be way wrong too.
• The Mets over the Brewers: Sometimes my picks are colored by my fan-heart falling for players that I root for. Jacob deGrom has become like that for me. So I am picking him to win. Will it be right? Well, I don't care. You take me as I am in this daily walk. Jimmy Nelson goes for the Brewers.
• The Tigers over the Angels: Hector Santiago pitched well his last time out. But he cannot be counted on to go more than five innings. That gives Rick Porcello more of an edge.
• The Orioles over the Mariners: Roenis Elias pitched well against Mets. But the Orioles are not the Mets. And the last time I picked against Miguel Gonzalez, he made me look silly.
• The Pirates over the Rockies: Who the heck knows what will happen in this game. Edinson Volquez and Franklin Morales are not exactly trustworthy. And at Coors Field, color that in spades. SO I don't know!
• The Braves over the Padres: Has there been a bigger disappointment than Mike Minor this season? I don't think so. And yet, I keep picking him. I might as well keep at it until it's right. Eric Stults has an outside chance at losing 20 games this season.
• The Athletics over the Rangers: Okay, Miles Mikolas pitched very well against the Yankees. But the team from the Bronx makes a habit out of making mediocre pitchers look really good. The A's are not such a team. Scott Kazmir all the way.
• The Dodgers over the Giants: What makes Jake Peavy think that he will get more run support in San Francisco than in Boston? I think he will pitch well. But Hyun-jin Ryu will pitch better.

And the Game of the Day:

• The Cardinals over the Cubs: Kyle Hendricks was quite impressive in his last start. And Adam Wainwright was quite a disappointment in his last one. But Wainwright has been at this a long time and the edge has to go to the ace.