Bad beats work both ways, but rarely do we acknowledge those that work out for us. Recognize the breaks you catch and you’ll be a happier bettor. The day after exposing the tip that bookmakers often give away when they post a funky line to attract the public to the wrong side, we found ourselves in the very crowd of losers. It was the wrong side, but Dae-Ho Lee forgave us with a couple of moonshot homers. Chalk it up as a good luck winner, smile and move on. Hopefully we won’t need to be so lucky to cash Thursday’s play.
I still expect the Houston Astros to win the AL West. But if it’s to happen, they must sort their starting pitching. One of the best starting fives from last year is in shambles right now. Lance McCullers is hurt (but on his way back) and the trio of Collin McHugh, Mike Fiers and Doug Fister just has not got it done. McCullers’ fill-in has been rookie Chris Devenski, who makes his second career start tonight. He’s got 18 innings under his belt this season, though, and he’s looked the part of someone who I could very soon trust more than any of the lackluster trio I just mentioned. Devenski has
struck out 16 in those 18.2 innings and walked just four. He’s got 95 MPH heat, a great changeup and a strange delivery that may be a little tougher on a team seeing him for the first time. That’s the Mariners, who travelled from Seattle yesterday to get in to start this series tonight.
Meanwhile, Houston stays at home where it’s won two straight, including a 16-run outburst Wednesday against the Twins. Now they get Wade Miley who hasn’t fared any better in Seattle than he did in Boston last season. That is, with the exception of his last start. Miley is fresh off a five-hit shutout of the Royals, no small feat. But he’s still the same old dog with an ERA above five and a BAA hovering around .300. The M’s only got four innings from Felix yesterday so there’s a chance they’ll stretch Miley for an extra inning, which could be just enough for disaster to strike. Or the home team could get to work right away on the bearded lefty. Either way, we’ll play them for a normal, one unit ticket and hope to run our own winning streak to three as well.
Free Pick: Astros -115
YTD: 7-5-1 +2.54
2015: 31-25-5 +1.09
2014: 45-28-3 +9.02
chris devenski • houston astros • seattle mariners