Matt's Picks (3 Live)
Matt's Past Picks
I'll very rarely back a road game in a Game 7 in any sport. Dallas has played better defensively on home ice in this series (1.97 expected goals against at 5-on-5) than on the road (2.33). Since a 3-1 loss in Game 2, Stars netminder Jake Oettinger has posted an overall stellar save percentage of .944, including .960 in a Game 6 loss. Trust him a little more than counterpart Adin Hill. Stars forward Joe Pavelski (7-3) and head coach Peter DeBoer (7-0) can both match the NHL record for career Game 7 wins, a mark currently shared by six skaters and one coach.
Marty is on fire, up to .113 on the season! He actually has back-to-back games with hits. Hang on, I'm going to go look at this pig flying over my neighborhood.
My bad for not checking who the home plate umpire was Saturday in this matchup. Perhaps if I had known it was CB Bucknor I would have reconsidered. What a joke. The Sox used essentially every reliever they have so might be thin behind Garrett Crochet. Dylan Carlson has been activated off the IL for the Cards to make his season debut. They have been getting almost no offensive production from their outfielders so Carlson can only help.
Managers want to let their starting pitchers go at least five full to qualify for a win. Brown hasn't been very good this season and only gone at least five twice but I have faith. The first inning will tell us a lot as to whether he has any control.
Can't say I think much of Guardians pitcher Carlos Carrasco but that Angels lineup looks really weak today with the likes of Luis Rengifo and Logan O'Hoppe out -- plus of course Mike Trout is on the IL. Pitcher Griffin Canning is 0-3 with an 8.16 ERA on the road.
Look, I don't want to be one of those grumpy old men (ain't that old) but if Jarrett Allen can't play in a winner-take-all, whatever man. Hockey player it up. Course, I also remember Scottie Pippen being ... I'll bite my tongue. He deserved Larsa let's just say that. Love to give more high-def information but this is simply a home play.
The Marlins' lineup got so much weaker with the Luis Arraez trade. It's like the new Rebel Wilson. Thin. Blackburn has come way back to earth after a crazy start but I think 6 IP, 2 ER sounds about right. I will always do runs instead of innings (17.5) if moderately close simply as an injury and I win.
Things I didn't think I would do this MLB season: Breakdance (tried the Andy from the Office, also didn't go well and also involved keys), realize that Jose Canseco's daughter is dating Johnny Manziel or back the A's. But the Marlins just said goodbye in 2024 by trading two-time batting champion Luis Arraez to San Diego. If the Fish were playing anyone else Saturday (non-White Sox), I'd make a dangerously large bet.
Wow this is low. KG has not been quite the strikeout guy he has in previous years but 4.5? He is more than capable of getting that by the third inning.
It goes without saying you should shop around for the best number. I was kinda stuck for a while with whatever SL offered and now we have five books to choose from. So here this is 8.5 at only one of ours with the rest having 8. It's Saturday so I'm not going to be on here monitoring weather as somehow I was roped into a square dance (kill me), but it appears that winds will be blowing in in D.C. I just don't think the Nats get more than 2ish runs off Kevin Gausman regardless. Are the Jays scoring 6? Highly doubtful. Obviously the bullpen(s) could wreck things but will take our chances.
I don't like Lance Lynn. As think my fellow White Sox fans can attest, he'd be good for a few innings and then the next time through the lineup allow a pair of three-run bombs. No one bothered to awaken Tony La Russa to pull him. Yeah I'm not bitter. My point here is that while Lynn is rarely trustworthy, when he's facing a Pale Hose lineup in which the bottom four is Rex Grossman (I know it's Robbie but may as well be Rex), Korey Lee, Paul DeJong and Braden Shewmake. I mean, come on. I could slip and fall at Publix later and be owed millions and would not even call the free law firm of Grossman, Lee, DeJong and Shewmake.
All of our books but Caesars have this at 8.5 so we get some value here. Certainly could push by Dylan Cease has been very good for San Diego and is 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA on the road. Slade Cecconi is only in the Arizona lineup due to Merrill Kelly's injury, but Cecconi has a 2.25 ERA in two starts and tremendous control dating to his minor-league days. The Under is 6-1 in Arizona's past seven. We might push but don't think we lose.