As September drags on, I attempt to keep my sanity on the Beat the Streak front. Jonathan Lucroy got me back in the good graces of green numbering yesterday with a 2-for-4 performance against Brad Penny. Normally I'd say two hits in a game against Brad Penny isn't anything to brag about but by some act of sorcery Penny only gave up four hits in six innings yesterday. Milwaukee really has fallen on, as Dusty Rhodes so eloquently put it, hard tiiiiiiiimes. For today, I go with a player on a team that is going in the complete opposite of Milwaukee's Best. That player is Kole Calhoun of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of California: Western Division Tactical Unit Starting Lineup. Too much for an unfunny joke? Probably. I have had the joy of picking a batter going against Colby Lewis before. In SIP 10, Robinson Cano faced Lewis and got me to double digits on a streak for the first time in three years. I expect a nice shiny green two next to my entry after Calhoun gets done with the Rangers' righty. Calhoun is 5-for-7 (.714 average) against Lewis and has hits in all but one game so far in September. The Angels are on fire and Colby Lewis is primed to get burned.
Speaking of getting burned, I am setting myself up for a devastating scalding if my pick today on Streak for the Cash goes awry. As of writing this, you can see the Azzurri are mind boggling favorites against the Norwegians in Euro 2016 qualifying. I have been burnt by the 2006 World Cup Champions many times before but I look at today's rundown and don't see much else that tickles my fancy. Jeff Locke and the Pirates gave me a nice birthday present yesterday. It'd be a shame for me to have to return that W2 to the store because Italy couldn't beat a team who has two players on the active roster with more than two goals in their international career. If not I may just change my name to Trevør Utlæy as penance for going against such a "superpower" in Norway. Keep the weird letters out of my name Italy! Better yet, keep yourself out of the "I Hate You Primarily Because of Streak for the Cash" Hall of Fame which is where you are going if you lose this game. Håppy Streaking Everybødy!
Image Credits: Calhoun (mlb.com), Streak pick (espn.com)