Robert Ferringo's Picks For Major League Baseball
2-Unit Play. Take ‘Under’ 8.5 New York Mets at Washington Nationals (1:30 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 19)
The ‘under’ is 19-7 in the last 26 meetings and 19-7-1 in the last 27 meetings in Washington. Ed Hickox has a pretty generous zone, and that should benefit El Duque and his array of off-speed pitches. Shawn Hill has given up over three runs just once in his last nine starts, and even then he only surrendered three ER. He has an ERA of 2.41 on the season and the ‘under’ is 5-2 in his last seven home starts.
2-Unit Play. Take ‘Under’ 8.5 Cleveland at Tampa Bay (1:30 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 19)
We’re at a Questek field here with Mike Estabrook behind the dish. He’s only issued four walks in two games behind the plate this year and is 0-2 vs. the total. On top of that we have two up-and-down (but mostly down) offenses and two ace pitchers (C.C. Sabathia and James Shields) on the hill. There’s a strong wind blowing in and the ‘under’ is 9-3-1 in the last 13 meetings.
2-Unit Play. Take ‘Over’ 8.0 Arizona at Atlanta (1 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 19)
John Smoltz hasn’t been himself as he fights through an injured shoulder. He is still very solid and, knowing that his team needs a stopper, will have a strong game. But the Braves offense should break out today. There’s a light breeze out and we have ‘over’ ump Wally Bell behind the plate. The ‘over’ is 5-2 in the last seven meetings and 32-13 in Atlanta’s last 45 overall.
1-Unit Play. Take #912 San Diego (-165) over Houston (4 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 19)
Kip Albers is a piñata (that’s why he was pulled from the rotation earlier) and the Padres aren’t going to mess around with some scrub on the hill. Greg Maddux knows that the Dads need this win right now, and has an ump that should give him the corners today. The Astros are 18-39 on the road and 5-17 on the road against a team with a winning record.
1-Unit Play. Take ‘Under’ 9.0 Kansas City at Oakland (4 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 19)
This is all about our boy Doug Eddings behind the plate. Around 65 percent of all the pitches he calls are strikes, and after two games of high offensive output I see this one staying low. It certainly has nothing to do with the starters, and is all about the ump and the odds
