orioles

Thought I'd pitch in with a couple of thoughts. It's the laughs that keeps you coming back, ain't it? (It certainly can't be the picks!) Is Corey Kluber really Mickey Lolich? Well, he's been aces in the post season, but he's on short rest again. I suspect this comes down to the bullpens and I think the Indians have the edge in that respect: they're rested and ready to go, whereas bizarrely Chapman went one and a third in Game 6 with Chicago 5 ahead. I can see Maddon calling guys like Lackey and Lester out of a bullpen that lacks the supreme specialist depth on offer to Francona. Cleveland look the value at better than Evens. Enjoy :) [b]Pick: Indians @ 2.05[/b]

The Lions are horrible on the road, horrible on national TV and horrible against the Saints. New Orleans are just horrible on defense. The Saints are giving up over 30 points a game (although Dennis Allen seems to have put some fire in the stop unit's belly) and Stafford and megatron should tear this secondary apart - were it not for the fact Detroit have come up with the genius idea of ignoring Johnson for large parts of the game. Neither team can run the ball, but both have strong passing attacks. There should be a ton of points and if I had to bet, it would be the Over. [i]Pick: New Orleans Saints -2.5 Pick: Over 51.5 Pick: 1st TD Brandin Cooks @ 11 Pick: Anytime TD Golden Tate @ 2.38[/i]

[i]PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Edinson Volquez (1-2, 4.37 ERA) vs. Mets RH Matt Harvey (2-0, 3.38)[/i] I opposed Volquez in Game 1. He pitched despite learning his father had passed away earlier that day and has been away from the team for a few days. There's no telling how he'll pitch, so I have to oppose him again, but can't have the Mets at the price. Go Over again, it's the only value here. [b]Pick: Over 7 @ 2[/b]

[i]PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Chris Young (1-0, 2.31 ERA) vs. Mets LH Steven Matz (0-1, 3.72)[/i] 0-3, make of that what you will! Both of tonight's hurlers may be on a short leash and if the managers turn to their pens, I like the Royals. In any case, the price on the Mets is poor for a pitcher of the experience and post-season record of Steve Matz. An interesting note: Over has cashed in every game and tonight's plate umpire, Jim Wolf has called 7 Overs in the last 8. [b]Pick: Kansas City Royals @ 2.25 Pick: Over 7 @ 2[/b]

[i]PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Yordano Ventura (0-1, 5.09 ERA) vs. Mets RH Noah Syndergaard (1-1, 2.77)[/i] The Mets haven't been able to hold leads in both games, outlasted by the Royals' bullpen in the first and seeing a previously rock solid pitcher collapse in a heap in the second. To add insult to injury for the Mets, the crucial Kansas bullpen, worked hard in Game 1, got the night off in Game 2 as Cueto pitched a beauty, again against form. It's an old maxim in baseball, that good pitching always beats good hitting, but the Mets much vaunted rotation hasn't produced and the contact hitting of the Royals and the depth and solidity of their bullpen has been too much. Now, in what is surely a must-win third set, at home in New York, we have the Mets' fireballer, Noah Syndergaard...

[i]PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Jacob deGrom (3-0, 1.80 ERA) vs. Royals RH Johnny Cueto (1-1, 7.88)[/i] Game 1 went more or less as I expected, except the Mets couldn't quite finish the job, despite leading (for the second time in the game) going into the bottom of the ninth - it was classic Royals' baseball. Tonight's game is a less difficult pick, in as much as Jacob deGrom has been excellent in the post-season (3 road wins, 20IP, 4ER) in stark contrast to Johnny Cueto. Terry Collins has rested deGrom to be sure that he's ready to go; again contrast Cueto, who has been ensured a home start because Ned Yost feels he may be mentally fragile. Cueto is 3-3 with a 4.07ERA at Kauffman Stadium in 6 outings. The Royals' pen also put in a shift last night and may struggle to repeat ...

I haven't been writing up the live games this season because I didn't have the time - nobody missed much, I haven't had a stellar season on the bases. However, the Fall Classic demands a little effort. In this World Series, it's the blazing Mets' arms taking on the masters of AL small ball (a rare beast indeed) The Royals just get it done. Just to put a little meat on the bones of a fascinating contest: The Mets have mown down batters in the post-season, striking them out at at a 30% clip, that's about 10 points above the league's regular season rate. But, the Royals' batters have only struck out 17.4% of the time (an astonishing 15% in the regular season) and are the masters of contact hitting. The Mets have got their fastballs over in the post-season at an [i]average[/i] just topping...

Cards/Bucs With these two on the mound I like the Under. Under 7 @ 2.25 System Bets Braves @ 2.67 (Numbers updated next time!)

Live game I don't trust either of these hurlers. Over 7.5 @ 1.92 System Bets Reds @ 2.3 Marlins @ 2.65 Jays @ 2.2 Phillies @ 2.4 Rays@ 2.05 Rangers @ 2.41 Brewers @ 2.5 Twins @ 1.95 Cubs @ 2.2 Marines @ 2.25 Giants @ 2.1