Tuesday MLB Picks
Our team of writers and handicappers hand out their MLB picks and predictions for Tuesday April 14.
Toronto Blue Jays at Minnesota Twins, 8:10PM ET
Ricky Romero pitched well in his major-league debut for the Toronto Blue Jays. Now, he’ll try to duplicate that success on the road.
On Tuesday night, the left-hander looks to help the visiting Blue Jays to an 11th straight victory over the Minnesota Twins, who are trying to avoid a fourth consecutive loss overall.
Romero (1-0, 3.00 ERA), the sixth overall pick in the 2005 draft, allowed two runs and seven hits while striking out five and walking two over six innings in Toronto’s 6-2 win over Detroit on Thursday.
"His last four or five starts (in spring training), he just seemed to get a little bit better all the time,” Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston said.
With the nerves from his debut likely behind him, the 24-year-old makes his first road start against Minnesota (3-5), which has been outscored 22-7 during its three-game losing streak.
MLB Free Pick: Minnesota – View Game Matchup | Best Line: -120 SBG Global
Cleveland Indians at Kansas City Royals, 8:10PM ET
Carl Pavano’s attempt at reviving his pitching career with the Cleveland Indians got off to a rough start.
Kyle Davies, meanwhile, appears to keep getting better for the Kansas City Royals.
Pavano looks to bounce back from an awful debut and help the Indians avoid a second straight loss to Davies and the Royals as they continue a three-game set Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium.
After four disappointing years with the New York Yankees, Pavano (0-1, 81.00 ERA) is looking for a new start with Cleveland (1-6), but will need to pitch much better than he did in his Indians debut in order to stick to that hope.
The right-hander allowed nine runs, six hits and walked three on 39 pitches in just one-plus inning of Cleveland’s 12-8 loss at Texas on Thursday.
MLB Free Pick: Kansas City – View Game Matchup | Best Line: -135 SBG Global
Boston Red Sox at Oakland A’s, 10:05PM ET
If the Boston Red Sox weren’t already concerned about their slow start, a blowout loss to open their series in Oakland provided further cause for alarm.
Having dropped five of six going into the second game of its three-game set against the Athletics, Boston hopes its dormant offense and right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka will both get untracked Tuesday night.
After winning the World Series in 2007 and coming within a game of another AL pennant last year, the Red Sox (2-5) haven’t looked like a championship-caliber team to start this season.
While the club’s beleaguered starting rotation has a 5.66 ERA, Boston’s bats are hitting just .235 after struggling in Monday night’s 8-2 loss in Oakland.
Kevin Youkilis homered and doubled and is hitting .519, but he’s the only Red Sox regular off to a good start at the plate. Reigning AL MVP Dustin Pedroia is hitting .179, David Ortiz is still looking for his first extra-base hit and Mike Lowell is 4-for-26 (.154) as he tries to rebound from hip surgery.
MLB Free Pick: Oakland – View Game Matchup | Best Line: +135 SBG Global
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Posted: 4/14/09 12:21 AM ET
