It’s September and that means expanded rosters, playoff pushes and spoilers to boot and one more month to bet on regular season Major League Baseball. It sure would be nice to get back even before October baseball begins.
Free Pick
Last I left you, we were bullish on Minnesota. We bet them (and won) a couple times before losing on August’s third to last day when Scott Kazmir tossed a nice game at Target Field. This situation with Minnesota encompasses a bit of the problem with picking 10 plays to write-up per month. The Twins have basically been an auto-back for the last week or so but we’ve had to pick and choose the games featured here. I was all ready to post a play for Tuesday night before running into some technical difficulties. As I write up Wednesday’s game on Tuesday night, Minnesota looks good against Chris Sale, a sort of bitter feeling. Fortunately, the Twins continue to open up at a bargain price so I’m going to get this pick in as early as possible and encourage you to continue riding the hot hand before likely action drives up the price. 
Though Carlos Rodon has continued to look good since a poor little stretch that lingered through July, I’m not willing to give him enough respect to pass up on a -120 price tag for the Twins at home. Rodon hasn’t given up more than two runs in any of his last four outings but his control numbers are a bit concerning. He’s walked at least three in each of his last three starts and has also given up three long balls in that span.
Meanwhile, Tommy Milone is back in the starting rotation after coming out of the bullpen in the 12th inning a week ago to earn a save in a win over Baltimore. Milone coughed up four earned in 5.1 innings at Tampa Bay on the 27th of August and looks to put together a quality start against a relatively weak Chicago lineup.
The pitching matchup is tough to read in this one. Rodon is obviously more talented but his inconsistency going up against a red-hot lineup definitely has me leaning on the bargain home price, a team that smells the playoffs. Until further notice, we back Minny.
Free Pick: Twins -120
YTD: 20-17-4 -1.31
2014: 45-28-3 +9.02
chicago • minnesota • twins • white sox