They say all good things come to those who wait. I must have a lot of good streak picks coming because I have been waiting quite some time to be good at this. I have put the Kansas City Royals on the early short list for induction in to the "I Hate You Entirely Because Of Streak For The Cash/Beat The Streak" Hall of Fame after their pitiful showing the past two days against previously unimposing MInnesota. After trying to take the sure things on ESPN's Streak game yesterday, I will be venturing outside of my comfort zone a little bit today. On Beat the Streak however, I'll do anything but that.
Dee Gordon made me wait until the sixth inning to get a hit off Dillon Gee in a loss to the Mets yesterday. Nevertheless I am back in the green on MLB's Beat The Streak and feel emboldened enough for a double down today. That double down will be my two first basemen: Adrian Gonzalez of the Dodgers (reality) and Paul Goldschmidt (fantasy). Both have been raking to start 2015 and have favorable matchups this evening. Goldschmidt will face San Francisco's Jake Peavy. There isn't much of a track record (just 1-for-2) but the way Peavy has pitched thus far gives me confidence that Goldschmidt is good for at least one hit. I'll be expecting even more from Adrian Gonzalez against Colorado's Kyle Kendrick. Currently leading the planet Earth in every conceivable batting percentage, Gonzalez takes on a pitcher he has owned of late. He is 4 for his last 9 against the former Phillie and Kendrick is coming off an 8 run drubbing at the hands of the Cubs. For more of my overflowing love of Adrian Gonzalez, check out the piece I wrote on his hot start over at Sports From The Basement.
On Streak for the Cash, I am making two picks that both make me feel ill and a bit dense. My first selection is from the French Ligue 1. If you know me at all, you are aware of my unabashed loathing of all things French. I try to not hold petty grudges in my life but still feel crestfallen from the dubious Thierry Henry handball in the Ireland/France World Cup 2010 qualifying playoff. Having no real ties to the Republic of Ireland within two or three generations, I should probably let it go. Instead I will pick Marseille to beat American Alejandro Bedoya and Nantes outright and feel loathsome the entire time. My other pick will be the Houston Astros against the Los Angeles Angels. The pitching matchup between Roberto "Please Stop Using the Tag Line Don't Call Me Fausto Carmona, It's Really Getting Old" Hernandez and Jered Weaver looks like a clear mismatch. I am factoring in a little cheeky stat I saw the other day that Jered Weaver's fastball is topping out in the low 80's. That is Jamie Moyer territory right there. "Stros for the upset and the W3. HAPPY STREAKING EVERYBODY!!
Image Credits: Goldschmidt/Gonzalez BTS (MLB.com), Streak picks (espn.com)