Today's Pick: SFG (+105) over OAK

The Giants are road dogs to the A's in a 9:05 CDT start at River Cat Stadium in Sacramento, CA.

The two clubs once sat only miles apart, a ride on the BART can get you to both PacBell Stadium in downtown San Francisco, home of the Giants, and to the Oakland Coliseum, the former home of the A's.  The Coliseum currently lies dormant with the A's having agreed in principle to relocate to the desert's armpit otherwise known as Las Vegas.  It's a nice stadium they are looking to build there in Vegas.  Looks to be the tops as Sinatra might say.  But what about the Aviators?  Are the AAA Aviators going to get run out of town by their own major league affiliate?  I had read that the Aviators' ballpark in Las Vegas is one of the nicest AAA facilities in all of minor league baseball.  If the A's move to vegas, won't that cannibalize the Aviators' fan base?  

Justin Verlander (0-5) starts for the Giants.  Verlander, at 42 years old, is about 39 wins away from 300 over his career.  He hasn't been able to get a single win this season.  It's almost like some sort of hex having to watch his doppleganger, Robbie Ray, rack up eight wins and not being able to record a single win in what is a critical season in regards to him chasing a mark that has only been acheived by a dozen or so starters in the history of major league baseball.  I, for one, as a baseball fan, was hoping he would reach the record, it is a milestone that seems to be almost impossible.  20 wins in each of fifteen seasons is 300 wins.  That's impossible.  15 wins over twenty seasons also seems impossible.  You have to pitch twenty five seasons and on average win 13 games per season to get to 300 wins and that's a titanic effort.  It's a staunchy record.  

Verlander has pitched ok this season.  He has had the lead on more than a few occassions before handing it over to the bullpen and each and every time they have blown the lead.  I'd like to believe that the Giants are playing to win tonight and that Verlander will have his best game against the Sacramento A's.

He'll face lefty JP Sears.  Sears (6-7) has been Oakland's most durable starter over the past three seasons and had shown signs of developing into a front of the rotation starter but this season he has pitched more like a good four.  I don't think Sears will shut the Giants out today.  He can keep the A's in the game but I like San Francisco to put some runs on the board against the lefty.  

Oakland's bullpen has pitched a little better over the past two weeks but the A's relievers have played a big part in their 5.33 team ERA, 29th out of 30 teams in MLB.  

It should be a competitive game.  The A's can certainly win this one but getting plus money on the Giants and Verlander against the A's is a good bet in my eyes.  I'm taking the Giants (+105) today and will bet a unit on it.  

Today's Pick:  SFG (+105) over OAK
Units in Play:  1.00
Units Wagered:  1.00
Ticket Pays:  2.05 (+1.05 units)
Current Streak:  0
Longest Streak:  6

Total Units Wagered (Season):  87.11 units
Current Bank Balance:  17.00 units
Beginning Bank Balance:  40 units
Total Units Raked (season):  22 units
Profit / Loss (season):  -1.0 units
Overall Record:  38-18

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