Well folks it’s here, the last week of regular season baseball and our final matinee showing of the special we’ve all come to love - #BPS Wednesday’s. I started this weekly pick’em at the beginning of summer. It was a nice way for all us cube monkeys out there to get through the work week grind as we pushed our way to the weekend. It was an energy boost if you will, given to us on Hump Day to help score a little extra cash to help fund our trips to Sea Isle. Week in and week out I came to you with the hottest MLB coverage, calling out the schmucks and shedding light on the heroes that would help make this season so remarkable. We’ve been through it all together watching as Little League pitchers like Ublado Jiménez were taken to the woodshed for slaughter day in to day out, or as power hitters like Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton sent rockets to the moon giving souvenirs to Americans everywhere. It made baseball great again, and hopefully, gave you a good laugh along the way. I walk into our final showing today shooting at a 51% clip over this 15 week season and an astounding 63% on the month. A percentage I only expect to increase after today. But enough with the moosh-gooshy, this is a place of business. I’ve made 68 stone cold picks up until this point and I plan on making these final 4 the best yet. So without further ado, let’s get to it. Here are your final 2017 #BPS picks of the year.
Pick: Houston Astros
Houston’s a red hot 8 of their last 10. Texas is a miserable 4-6. Houston, who has already clinched the American League West division doesn’t necessarily have anything left to play for, but I don’t see that saving Texas today. Justin Verlander takes the mound for the ‘Stros where he is undefeated in a Houston uniform. The former CY Young and MVP winner is lights out since being traded from Detroit sporting a 0.64 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 4 outings. You and I could be batting for the Astros today and they’d still win it. Money in the bag – pick Houston.
Pick: Colorado Rockies
The Rockies have nowhere to go. They’re strapped with the smallest of margins between them and the Milwaukee Brewers for the final Wildcard spot (1.5 games) in the National League and the smallest slip up might cost them the season. Their pitcher of choice? Jon Gray, the Rockies 1st round draft pick in 2013 and future ace. Jonny’s coming off of two quality starts putting up a 0.50 ERA, 15K’s, and only 7 hits through 11 innings of baseball; but that was against the scrubbish Padres. This is a big boy game and Colorado will be counting on Gray to close out the series with the Marlins with a victory. I like Gray’s tenacity and he’s proven he’s worthy of such a task with major wins against the division winning Dodgers and playoff bound Diamondbacks earlier this month so I’m leaning towards him in today’s matchup. His opposing gunslinger this afternoon, Adam Conley, has shown he’s susceptible to hits. Conley has given up nearly 7 hits a game during the month of September and has been extremely inconsistent for Miami this season. Expect the Rockies offense to attack early as Gray keeps the Marlins at bay. Fingers crossed Giancarlo Stanton hits a bomb this afternoon however as he now only has 5 more games to reach the magical 60 homeruns on the season. He currently stands at 57.
Pick: Oakland Athletics
The Mariners are hopeless. Once a playoff contender during the month of August, Seattle has toppled down the hill to mediocrity. They walk into the game this afternoon mathematically eliminated from the playoffs and are now holding auditions for future spots on the team. The Mariners have practically owned the Athletics this season (12-6), but their lack of commitment concerns me. Oakland’s been having fun out there, winners of 7 of their last 10. The elephant dances today.
Pick: Arizona Diamondbacks
Leave it to Matty Moneybags to end the year off on an upset. The Diamondbacks are 6 games up on the wildcard and are laying easy. They’ve clinched a playoff spot and have no chance of catching the division winning Dodgers for first place in the NL West. What does that mean? Throw out the youngin’s while the normal day starters crush ice cold Millar Lite in the clubhouse. The Diamondbacks are practically handing this one to the Giants. Take advantage of it.