MLB Picks: June 16th 2011
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Pick: Tampa Bay Rays -116
After scoring 83 runs in a nine-game winning streak, the Boston Red Sox bats have gone quiet in Florida. Boston was blanked by James Shields on Tuesday night and then struggled again before Kevin Youkilis cracked a three-run homer to end a 16-inning scoreless string. But that was more than enough support for Josh Beckett, who one-hit the Rays as Boston beat Tampa Bay for the first time in four meetings this season. The two teams wrap up their three-game set Thursday night as Clay Buchholz opposes Rays’ ace David Price. Red Sox RH Clay Buchholz (5-3, 3.59 ERA) vs. Rays LH David Price (7-5, 3.51 ERA). After not earning a decision in his previous four starts, Buchholz got the win in his last outing. Price beat Boston 3-2 earlier in the season when he limited the Red Sox to five hits and two runs in 7 2/3 innings. He has beaten Boston in three of his past four starts with the only setback being a 3-1 loss at St. Petersburg last season when Jon Lester stymied the Rays. Price was a solid Cy Young candidate last season with a 19-6 record, and is poised for an All-Star berth again this season. TAKE TAMPA BAY MINUS -Bob Wingerter

Pick: Milwaukee Brewers -133
We’ll side with the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers Thursday to continue their success on the bases against the Chicago Cubs. The Brewers are 23-9 in their last 32 games overall, including 21-6 in their last 27 vs. a right-handed starter. This team is getting hits from everywhere, especially Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder who are having MVP-caliber seasons. The Cubs are 4-12 in their last 16 games overall. This team has not been good in the role of the home dog, either. Chicago is 18-43 in their last 61 games as a home underdog. The Brewers have the advantage on the bump with Zach Greinke over Matt Garza. Greinke is 6-1 on the season in eight starts and his 4.69 ERA is clearly inflated because he has just a 1.167 WHIP on the year. Milwaukee is a perfect 7-0 in Greinke’s last 7 starts. Matt Garza is 2-6 through 11 starts this year for Chicago, and he has been lucky to have only a 3.84 ERA considering he sports a huge 1.416 WHIP. The Cubs are 1-5 in Garza’s last 6 starts as an underdog. Garza gave up 5 earned runs and 11 base runners in 5 2/3 innings in his lone start against Milwaukee this season, a 0-6 loss on 4/9/2011. Take the Brewers on the Money Line. -Black Widow (Handicapperspicks.com)

Boston Red Sox vs. Texas Rangers
Free Pick: Boston Red Sox -148
Courtesy of Mike Rose (Handicapperspicks.com)
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Fenway Park is the site of Thursday night’s MLB Network broadcast where the Boston Red Sox will look to sweep the Texas Rangers at home in a series for the first time since August of 2008. Texas enters tonight’s battle hoping to snap its six-game losing streak; the Rangers haven’t dropped seven in a row since doing so way back in April of 2008.

Kevin Youkilis’ two-out RBI double in the bottom of the 12th inning of last night’s game saw the Red Sox take two in a row from the Rangers in walk-off fashion. A win this evening would mark the clubs first three-game winning streak of the season.

The Rangers are 0-2 in both of C.J. Wilson’s starts this season, but the lefty has pitched well enough to at the very least win one of those games. He boasts a 2.08 ERA and has allowed just 12 hits and three ER’s through 13 innings of work.

Both his defense and offense have plagued him early on with badly timed errors and a lack of offensive production; Texas has scored a whopping total of two runs in his first two starts.

Getting the starting call for the third time this season will be RHP Clay Buchholz. He’s 1-1 with a 1.80 ERA and has allowed 10 hits and seven runs (2 ER) with a K/BB ratio of 8/6 through 10 total innings of work on the year.

Texas is 1-2 in Game 3 of a series coming off a loss, while the Red Sox are 1-1 in Game 3 off a “W”.

Boston is 12-8 SU in the L/20 overall meetings with Texas, and has taken eight of the L/10 meetings in Fenway Park.

Though Boston comes in way overinflated right now and I suffered a gut wrenching defeat backing the Rangers last night, I think the Red sox pull off the sweep. Texas simply can’t get out of its own way right now, and I look for their misery to continue tonight before getting healthy back at home over their next seven games.