Road Trip!

Taking my kiddos and one of their friends to see the Rangers/A's tilt in Arlington. Sonny Boy and I went last weekend and saw the Rangers get their tails kicked by the Colorado-frickin'-Rockies..

Hopefully, today's game will have a happier outcome!

Look for me on TV. I'll be the one in the Rangers t-shirt :)

MLB Picks, June 30th

One game on the menu today that's worth a peek.

$20 on Kansas City (Hochevar) over Minnesota (DeVries) -1 1/2 @ +$130

Hochevar has thrown well lately, going 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA in his last three starts, including a complete game shutout against Tampa Bay in his last outing. DeVries is 1-1 with a 4.20 ERA this year. The Royals have won 4 straight and are 21-16 on the highway this season. The Twins have lost 3 in a row and have struggled at home all season, posting a 14-25 record.
MGM/Mirage has a little better line than everyone else right now.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 175.25
Current Bankroll            $1,675.25

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, June 29th

There are two games on the docket today on which I'm going to put down a little cashola.

$15 on San Francisco (Cain) over Cincinnati (Leake) -1 1/2 @ +$155

Cain is 9-2, with a 2.27 ERA this season. He's even tougher at home, posting a 1.45 ERA and is 5-0, 2.11 in his last six starts. Leake is 2-5, with a 4.46 ERA this year, but has pitched better lately, sporting a 2.79 ERA in his last three outings. The Giants have won 5 of their last 6 games while the Redlegs have dropped 7 of 10.

$20 on Texas (Harrison) over Oakland (Griffen) -1 1/2 @ -$110

Harrison is having a stellar season, going 10-3 thus far and is 7-0, with a 1.29 ERA in his last seven starts. Griffen gave up 2 runs in 6 innings of work against the Giants in his debut. The Rangers have won 11 of their last 13 games.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 210.25
Current Bankroll            $1,710.25

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, June 28th

There are a couple of games on the menu today that look promising.

$10 on Washington (Jackson) over Colorado (Outman) -1 1/2 @ +$110

Jackson is 2-1, with a 2.21 ERA in his last three trips to the hill. Outman is 0-3, with a 8.64 ERA for the year. The Rockies have lost 7 of their last 10.

$10 on Pittsburgh (Burnett) over Philadelphia (Kendrick) -1 1/2 @ +$150

Burnett is 8-2, with a 3.24 ERA this year and is 3-0, 1.80 in his last three starts. Kendrick is 2-7, 5.24 ERA this season, and is 0-2, 8.16 in his last three outings.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 230.25
Current Bankroll            $1,730.25

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

Today's The Day!

Remember the old '80s movie "Back to the Future?"

How 'bout the scene where Doc Brown sets the date for his trip into the future?

Does the date look familiar?

MLB Picks, June 27th

Only one game on today's schedule that's worth a peek.

$10 on Chi Sox (Sale) over Minnesota (Blackburn) -1 1/2 @ +$100

Sale is having a solid season, posting an 8-2 record, with a 2.24 ERA this season and is 4-0 in enemy territory. Blackburn is 4-4, but has a hefty 7.45 ERA this season. He isn't much better at home, sporting a 7.42 ERA.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 220.25
Current Bankroll            $1,720.25

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

"Helping Children Hear"

That's the slogan for our Heart of Texas Sertoma Club.

Yesterday morning I was able to witness one of the kids for whom we purchased hearing aids, get fitted and finally be able to hear normally.

In the picture below, Jonathan, a sophomore in high school, has his aids hooked up to a computer software program that calibrates the aids and customizes them to his specific hearing loss.

"You're going to hear some beeps and tones while I make some adjustments," explained the audiologist, Dr. Caviness.

"Can you hear me?" she asked, standing behind Jonathan and was immediately answered with an excited "Yes!"

"How does it sound?"

"Weird!"

"Although your voice sounds normal to me, it will sound very loud to you for a few days. That is normal," she explained.

"Okay," Jonathan answered, not needing to try to read lips for the first time in his life.

Jonathan's mother, Jonathan, and Dr. Carrie Caviness

Not only did this young man receive a new set of hearing aids, more importantly he received an opportunity for a bright future.

And that my friends, is good stuff  :o)

MLB Picks, June 26th

Two games on the menu today that look promising.

$15 on LA Angels (Wilson) over Baltimore (Matusz) -1 1/2 @ +$110

The Angels have won the last six Wilson starts, with CJ posting a 4-0 record, with a 1.74 ERA in those starts. He's also tough on the road, going 5-2, 2.13 ERA. Matusz has had a rough go of it lately, going 0-3, with a hefty 8.03 ERA in his last three trips to the mound. The Halos have won 8 of their last 10 games.

$20 on St. Louis (Lohse) over Miami (Zambrano) -1 1/2 @ +$140

Kyle Lohse is 4-1, with a 2.83 ERA in enemy territory this season and sports a tidy 1.63 ERA in his last four outings. Carlos Zambrano hasn't fared well at home this year as evidenced by his 1-3 record and 6.12 ERA. In his last three starts he is 0-3, with a nose bleed 13.50 ERA. The Redbirds have won five straight over the Fish and have won their last four games overall. The Marlins have played horrible this month, posting a 5-17 record and have lost 11 of their last 13 at home.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 175.75
Current Bankroll            $1,675.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

Take Me Out To The Ballgame

Sonny Boy and I joined a group of Texas Ranger fans for a trip to the ballpark to watch the Rangers play the Colorado Rockies, one of baseball's worst teams. A favorable pitching match up had the entire bus breaming with confidence in a Ranger victory.

After 5 1/2 innings, we realized the confidence may have been unwarranted. The Rockies were knocking the cover off the ball and had built an insurmountable 11-1 lead. The home team came back with a six spot to cut the lead to four runs, but that's as close as they could get.

Even though we witnessed a loss, we still had a great time at the ballpark, father and son. Tough to beat an afternoon like that : )

We have tickets to next Saturday's game against the A's, so Sonny Boy, my daughter (Chic Genius), Ms. Duck, and I will hope for a win this time.

Not to be out done by MOJO, here are a few pictures of the day's festivities. Click on the picture for full screen goodness.

Rangers Ballpark at Arlington (Centerfield Entrance)

View From Our Seats In Right Field

Lucki Duck And Sonny Boy

We parked next to a train yard, so after the game we took advantage of a vacant Union Pacific locomotive. The hard part was trying to climb on the engine before the camera's 10 second timer went off : )

Finally, here's a shot of a van we passed on the way to the game. An example of Texan ingenuity at its finest!

I'm pretty sure the window unit isn't standard equipment from the factory! Hope that's exterior grade plywood :o)

MLB Picks, June 25th

Although we have an abbreviated schedule from which to choose, there are several games on the docket that are worth a look.

$20 on St. Louis (Westbrook) over Miami (Nolasco) -1 1/2 @ +$145

Westbrook is 2-1, with a 2.57 ERA in his last three trips to the bump, including a complete game shutout against the Tigers in his last outing. Nolasco is 0-3, 8.80 in his last three. The Fish have dropped 8 of their last 10 games.

$10 on Chi Sox (Peavy) over Minnesota (Liriano) -1 1/2 @ +$145

Peavy has thrown well in enemy territory this season, posting a 3-1 record, with a 1.67 ERA. He's also been tough lately, sporting a 1.64 ERA in his last three outings. Liriano is having a nightmare season, struggling to a 1-7 record and a 5.74 ERA this season. The White Sox play well on the road as evidenced by thier 19-13 record. The Twins are 13-22 at home this year.

$15 on  Washington (Strausburg) over Colorado (Francis) -1 1/2 @ -$115

Strausburg has been stellar all season, posting a 9-1 record, with a 2.46 ERA and is even better on the highway (5-0, 2.30). Francis has only started three games with the Rockies, and things haven't gone well as his 0-3 record and 8.56 ERA illustrates. Colorado has dropped 7 of their last 10 games.

$10 on LA Dodgers (Eovaldi) over San Francisco (Zito) @ +$105

Although he doesn't have a win to his credit yet, Eovaldi has thrown well this season, sporting a 2.35 ERA. Zito is 0-3, with a 10.67 ERA in his last three starts, including surrendering 8 runs in 3+ innings against the Angels his last time out. The Dodgers have dropped 7 of their last 10, so I'll go light on this one.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 230.75
Current Bankroll            $1,730.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

Viva Dos Y Quatro!

We had a light turnout for Tin Man's $5 NLHE Tourney with only five runners showing up to pitch a few cards. Normally, if we have less then six players,we'll forget the tournament and just play the cash game. Since we hadn't gotten together in a month, we decided to go ahead and play the tournament.

Philly Phanatic won the bounty when he knocked out Lil' Annie Okie. He also felted Big Daddy and I toe-tagged Tin Man. Philly had a big chip lead when we got heads up, but I was beginning to chip away at his stack when I met my demise.

I open raised 2.5X from the SB with A-Q with Philly calling and we saw a flop of A-2-8. Philly checked and I bet half the pot. Philly called and we saw a 4 on the turn. I pushed and Philly insta-called and tabled the strongest hand in poker according to the Poker Grump... 2-4.

UGH.

About half-way thru the cash game I peeked down at 2-4 soooted and decided, "What the heck!" and called a raise by tossing in a few chips. The flop? A-3-5 of course, and Big Daddy had an ace, which cost him all his chips by the time we got to the river :)

Viva dos y quatro!

I ended the evening $20 to the good. Philly won a few bucks, with Tin Man dropping a few and both Annie and Big Daddy getting beat up pretty good.

It was nice getting together with the Friday night gang after a long layoff. Winning a little cashola didn't hurt anything either : )

Till next time, win the flips.

MLB Picks, June 23rd

One game on the menu today that looks interesting. I'm not crazy about the run line odds on this one, but I'm going to be at the game, so I'm going to put a few dollars on it anyway.

$15 on Texas (Lewis)over Colorado (Outman) -1 1/2 @ -$125

Lewis is 4-1, with a 2.17 ERA at home this season and is 2-1, 1.50in his last three starts. Outman (was there ever a better name for a pitcher?) is 0-3, with an 8.41 ERA this year and is worse in enemy territory, sporting a 13.50 ERA. The Rangers have won 7 straight. The Rockies have dropped 8 of 10.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 245.75
Current Bankroll            $1,745.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

Pokerpalooza!

We had nine runners show to pitch a few cards at the Duck Blind. Farmer Harry brought pizza and my daughter baked some chocolate chip cookies with smores centers, so we ate well, but certainly not healthy.

I won the first hand of the evening in this $20 buy-in, dealer's choice limit game, with tens full of aces in a hand of hold'em. I held pocket tens and the flop came A-T-A. WHEEEE!!! I knew it was gonna be my night :)

I was wrong.

I won only one more hand in three hours of play, twice losing with full houses. That gets expensive and I finished the night $27 in the red. If it wasn't my worse night I've had in the 2-3 years I've played in this game, it had to be close.

Harry won the High Hand Jackpot with quad kings, which he rivered in a hand of Omaha High and was the big winner on the evening, cashing out a $40 profit. Stamps and Cell also did well, both doubling their $20 buy-ins. Ollie the Accountant went home broke, Glass Man lost a couple bucks, and both Dealer Larry and Ray-Ray donated some cashola.

I'll be playing in Tin Man's $5 NLHE Tourney tonight. He and Lil' Annie Okie have been out of town the last few Fridays, so it'll be good to see everyone again and play some cards.

Heading to Arlington tomorrow with Sonny Boy to see the Rangers/Rockies game. It should be fun and hopefully we'll see a Rangers win :)

Till next time, win the flips.

MLB Picks, June 22nd

Two games on the menu today that are worth a peek.

$10 on Arizona (Saunders) over Chi Cubs (Samardzija) -1 1/2 @ +$140

Lefty Saunders is 1-2 in his last three starts, but has a 2.89 ERA in those starts. Samardzija is 0-2, 8.36 ERA in his last three and has a 6.00 ERA on the road this season. The D-Backs have won 7 of their last 8 games at home, while the Cubs have dropped 16 of their last 20 games in enemy territory. Also, Chicago has won only three times against left handed starters this season while dropping 15.

$10 on Oakland (Parker) over San Francisco (Lincecum) -1 1/2 @ +$185

Parker is the real deal. He is 2-1, with a 1.91 ERA in his last three trips to the bump, including seven innings of shutout ball against the Rockies his last time out. He's particularly tough at home, posting a 1.59 ERA on the season. Lincecum has lost his way, sporting a 2-8 record, with a 6.19 ERA for the year. He's even worse on the highway, going 1-4, 8.13 ERA. In his last nine starts, he is 0-6, with a 6.75 ERA. The A's have won 8 of their last 9 games while the Giants have dropped 4 of their last 5.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 241.75
Current Bankroll            $1,741.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, June 21st

Thursday is a travel day for most of the ball clubs, so there are just a few games to select from today. The cream of the crop looks to be the Pittsburgh/Minnesota match-up.

$10 on Pittsburgh (McDonald) over Minnesota (Hendriks) -1 1/2 @ +$135

McDonald is 5-3, with a tidy 2.32 ERA on the season , and is 2-1, 1.75 at home. Hendriks is 0-3, witha hefty 11.91 ERA in his last three trips to the bump and has an 11.25 ERA on the highway.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 228.25
Current Bankroll            $1,728.25

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, June 20th

Only one game that I like on the docket today.

$10 on Arizona (Cahill) over Seattle (Vargas) -1 1/2 @ +$130

Cahill is 3-0, with a 0.77 ERA in his last three starts and threw 7 innings of shutout ball against the Angels his last time out. Vargas is 1-2, 5.95 ERA in his last three. The D-Backs have won 6 of their last 7 home games. The Mariners have dropped 7 of their last 10 games.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 215.25
Current Bankroll            $1,715.25

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

Too Much Tony!

My week got off to a rough start yesterday morning. I hopped in my truck, (it's a law that each family in Texas must own at least one pick-up) turned on the CD player and had Tony Bennett crooning thru my speakers. Tony had been singing for several days, so I decided it was time for Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel to take the stage, (pretty eclectic tastes, no?) and I hit the "eject" button to give ol' Tony the hook.

That's when things went wrong.

Not only did the CD not eject, but now it wouldn't even play, so I was forced to listen to "Mike and Mike" on ESPN radio, or drive in silence.

It sure was a quite trip :)

I did get the CD to play again, but still can't get the player to spit it out.

Now, I like me some Tony Bennett... a lot. Hell, I LOVE Tony. But I don't want to be married to Tony!

Not only did he leave his heart in San Francisco, he left his CD in my player :[

MLB Picks, June 19th

There are a couple of games on today's schedule that I considered, but I didn't like either one enough to bet them.

The Twins are visiting Pittsburgh and are starting southpaw Diamond, who has thrown well for them this season (5-2, 2.13 ERA). The Buccos counter with Correia (2-6, 4.43 ERA) who hasn't won at home all year. The Twinkies are only getting +$105 in this game, which is a little low. Pittsburgh has an 11-7 record against leftys, and have won 8 of their last 9 home games, so I'm going to pass on this one.

Also, the Angels are hosting the Giants. Lefty CJ Wilson will toe the rubber for the Halos and carries a 0.86 ERA in his last three starts. LA is 5-0 in his last five starts. Zito starts for the Giants, and he got roughed up by a light hitting Houston club in his last outing. But the Angels are only paying at +$110 on the run line, and San Fran matches up well against port-siders, posting a 15-7 record against them this year. So, I think I'll pass on this one also and just sit on the bench for a day.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 215.25
Current Bankroll            $1,715.25

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, June 18th

Two games on today's schedule that are worth a peek.

$10 on NY Mets (Dickey) over Baltimore (Arrieta) -1 1/2 @ +$120

Dickey is 10-1, with a 2.20 ERA on the season, is 5-0 at home and hasn't given up an earned run in his last three starts. Arrieta is 3-8, with a 5.89 ERA this year, and has an 8.04 ERA in his last three outings. I would bet this one a little stronger, but the O's have won 7 of 10 and the Mets have dropped three straight, so I'll go easy here.

$20 on Arizona (Miley) over Seattle (Noesi) -1 1/2 @ +$125

Miley is 7-3, with a 2.39 ERA this year and is 4-1 at home. Noesi is 2-7, 5.54 on the season and is 0-3, 8.15 when pitching on the highway.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 178.25
Current Bankroll            $1,678.25

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

The Watch

Although it's not much to look at, it's a very special watch to me.

I purchased it in 1979 as a gift to my father for helping me get my college degree. Although I had to put in 30-35 hours a week while going to school to pay as much as I could, without his financial help I would have had a sizeable student loan hanging over my head when I graduated.

It's just one of a thousand different things he did for me.

I could tell he was touched when he received the watch and often mentioned how proud he was to have it. The fact that I had given it to him seemed to be its best feature.

You can buy an Armitron watch similar to this one for $20-30 at any Walmart, but in the '70s digital watches were new, which meant they were expensive. I paid around $200 for this bad boy, in 1970's dollars. If you factor in the devaluation of the dollar since then, it would be... ummm... a lot! Let's just say I worked quite a few hours to pay for it, but it turned out to be a very special gift for both of us.

The watch was in a box of items I received after his death. I have a collection of watches and my mother thought I might like to have it. Last winter I retrieved it from the box, replaced the battery, and was both excited and surprised to see to LCD face come to life and the second hand start its rhythmic movement.

In remembrance of my father I wore it to church this morning. I enjoyed the memories it gave me, so it could well become a tradition. It's not the most expensive watch I own, but certainly the most valuable.

Happy Father's Day Dad :)

MLB Picks, June 17th

 Two games on the schedule that are worth a peek on this Father's Day.


$20 on Milwaukee (Greinke) over Minnesota (Blackburn) @ +$105

Greinke is having a solid season, posting a 7-2 record, with a 2.96 ERA and has been even better lately, going 2-0, 0.90 in his last three starts. Blackburn is 3-4, 7.68 ERA this year, but his ERA is even higher in his last three outings, sitting at 9.00. The Twins have lost four straight.

$15 on San Francisco (Bumgarner) over Seattle (Hernandez) @ +$105

Bumgarner has been throwing pellets of late, posting a 3-0 record and a 2.91 ERA the last three times he has placed his spikes on the rubber. Hernandez is 0-2, with a 7.41 ERA in his last three, including surrendering 5 runs in 6 innings against a light hitting San Diego club. The Mariners have dropped six straight games going into Saturday night's game.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 213.25
Current Bankroll            $1,713.25

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, June 16th

(For Carmel)

Only one game on the menu today that looks interesting.

$15 on LA Dodgers (Billingsley) over ChiSox (Humber) -1 1/2 @ +$170

Billingsley is 2-1, with a 2.70 ERA in his last three starts and gave up only one run in seven innings against Seattle in his last outing. Humber is 1-4, 7.50 since his perfect game, including a shaky performance against the Astros in his last start. The Dodgers have the best record in baseball and have won seven of their last 10 games. The White Sox have dropped three straight and seven of 10.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 228.25
Current Bankroll            $1,728.25

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, June 15th

One game out on the left coast is the only one that looks good today.


$15 on San Francisco (Vogelsong) over Seattle (Vargas) -1 1/2 @ +$150

Vogelsong is 2-0, with a 1.66 ERA in his last three starts. Lefty Vargas sports a 5.89 ERA in his last three and gave up five runs in six innings versus the Dodgers his last time out. The Giants have hit southpaws well and enjoy a 14-7 record against them this season.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 205.75
Current Bankroll            $1,705.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

Hellmuth Wins 12th WSOP Bracelet

Anyone paying attention to the WSOP this year? Looking over the entry levels, it looks like they're down from last year.

I did notice that Phil Hellmuth took down his 12th bracelet, winning a Razz event. I think that it's his first in a non hold'em event. Say what you want about the man, he's one helluva tournament poker player who stays relevant in the poker world.

Good luck to all my blog friends who are entering an event this summer. I'm not heading to Vegas until late August, so I won't be able to join you, but I'm hoping to be playing in the WSOP next year.

Maybe felt Mr. Hellmuth :)

MLB Picks, June 14th

Three games on the schedule today that look promising.

$10 on San Francisco (Zito) over Houston (Rodriquez) -1 1/2 @ +$170

Zito is 3-1, with a 3.13 ERA at home this season. Southpaw Rodriquez sports a hefty 8.22 ERA in his last three outings.  The Giants are 12-4 in their last 16 games and are 14-6 versus port-siders this season. The Astros couldn't even manage a base runner last night against Matt Cain and have lost 12 of their last 16 games. They also struggle on the highway, posting an anemic 8-22 record this year.

$10 on Milwaukee (Marcum) over Kansas City (Hochevar) -1 1/2 @ +$135

This one scares me a little bit, as it seems that the Royals have the Brew Crew's number lately. However, Marcum has been solid, going 3-0, with a respectable 2.29 ERA in his last three starts. Hochover has had a rough go of it lately, posting a 0-4 record, with a hefty 10.23 ERA at home this season, and is 0-2, 6.46 in his last three trips to the bump. Also, the Royals are 10-20 at home this season.

$10 on Minnesota (Diamond) over Philadelphia (Blanton) -1 1/2 @ +$160

This Diamond has shined this season, posting a 5-1 record and a nifty 1.61 ERA. On the other hand, Blanton has gotten pounded lately and is 1-3, with a 10.25 ERA in his last five trips to the mound. He is also struggling on the road, going 2-4, 6.38 this season. The Twins have won 10 of their last 14 games while the Phils have dropped 9 of 11. Diamond is a lefty and Philadelphia is 6-11 against southpaws this year.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 235.75
Current Bankroll            $1,735.75

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

Cain Is Able

Congratulations to San Francisco's Matt Cain for tossing a perfect game against my Astros, only the 22nd in MLB history. What a performance, striking out 14 batters.

Wow!

MLB Picks, June 13th

There are a couple of games on the menu today that look good, one of which we won on yesterday (SF/Houston), so we're going back to the well again on that match up.


$10 on San Francisco (Cain) over Houston (Happ) -1 1/2 @ +$120

Cain is 3-0, with a 0.83 ERA in his last three starts and is 3-1, 1.72 at home this season. Lefty Happ is 0-3, 4.50 in his last three trips to the bump, and is 0-2, with a 5.21 ERA on the highway. The Giants have won 8 of their last 11 and are 13-6 versus port siders. The Astros are 8-21 on the road this year.

$10 on Washington (Strausburg) over Toronto (Drabek) -1 1/2 @ +$115

Strausburg is 7-1, with a 2.41 ERA this year. Drabek has struggled lately, posting a 0-3 record, with a hefty 8.59 ERA in his last three outings. The Nats have won 8 of their last 10 games.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 212.25
Current Bankroll            $1,712.25

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, June 12th

Anyone notice that the Pirates have won four straight and are tied for first place? Just sayin'.

Only one game on the docket today that looks interesting.

$15 on San Francisco (Bumgarner) over Houston (Norris) -1 1/2 @ +$140

Bumgarner is 4-1, with a 2.50 ERA at home this year. Norris is 0-2, 11.68 ERA in his last three starts. The Giants have won 7 of their last 10 games. The Astros are 8-20 on the highway this season.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 191.25
Current Bankroll            $1,691.25

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks. June 11th

Travel day today for most of the MLB teams, which means a very abbreviated schedule. Only four games on tap and none of them look particularly good, so I'll sit on the sidelines today.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 191.25
Current Bankroll            $1,691.25

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

Vegas Or Bust Poker League Tourney

We had nine runners sit down to battle in our sixth of sixteen monthly league poker tournaments. At stake is two seats to the 2013 WSOP. Bobby Dee was obligated to attend a family reunion and was not able to attend, so just like in school, he received a zero for the day.

Blinds started at $10-20, with each player sitting behind $1,500T in chips. From left to right on your radio dial were J-Dawg, Philly Phanatic, Lil' Annie Okie, Ollie the Accountant, Dealer Larry, Stamps, Big Daddy, Tin Man, and your humble reporter.

Big Daddy started fast, building a sizeable stack early and began running over the table. He crippled Ollie by rivering a flush after betting on the come the whole way. Ollie called him down with top pair and busted shortly after the hand.

Philly Phanatic was next to fall victim to Big Daddy. I had relieved him of about a third of his stack earlier with my straight beating his two pair. Big Daddy's set felted Philly and his top two pair.

Tin Man fell on his sword in 7th place with Big Daddy doing the deed once again. I had crippled Tin Man when my set of rulers held against his two pair.

Lil' Annie Okie pushed for 8BB with A-K, with Big Daddy making a horrible call with T-5 offsuit. Of course he hit two pair on the flop and boated up on the river. Annie was not amused.

The table executioner took out Stamps in 5th with A-T holding up over Stamps' K-9.

J-Dawg finally stopped the Big Daddy Express when his two pair topped Biggy's top pair. Big Daddy was involved in a lot of pots, with his stack size varying greatly, but challenging J-Dawg, who was the only one at the table that had him covered, proved to be his undoing.

My goal in each league tournament has been to finish in the top three. I have been successful thus far, taking third place in the inaugural tourney, then winning the next four outright. Now down to three players, my goal had been upgraded to trying to win number five. J-Dawg had more than half of the chips and Dealer Larry was down to 3BB, so I decided to wait for Larry to bust before getting too aggressive. Larry managed to double up once, but lost a coin flip to J-Dawg when his pocket fives were run down by J-Dawg's 8-6 offsuit.

Now heads up, but trailing by a 3-1 margin in chips, I started whittling away at J-Dawg's stack. Blinds were up to $500-1000, so with only $13,500 chips in play, I was able to catch up pretty quickly. I won a big pot when my two pair beat J-Dawg's smaller two pair, reducing his stack to $1,300. He pushed with pocket fours on the next hand, and with $2000 in the pot and only $300 to call, I did so blind and flipped over 9-8 offsuit. As I have said in the past, I run goot in these tourneys and this hand was no exception as I paired my eight on the flop, taking the win for the fifth straight month.

Wow.

With the win, I now have a five point lead over J-Dawg, but more importantly, I'm putting a little daylight between myself and third place. I only have to finish in first or second to win a seat, so the further I can put the third place player in my rear view mirror, the better I'll feel!

For the complete standings, click here.

The cash game also went well for me, turning my $2 buy in into an $11 cash out. Big Daddy was my biggest donor, as we got into several large pots with me winning every one. So, it was a great night all the way around :)

Till next time, win the flips.

MLB Picks, June 10th

Two games on the docket today that are worthy of a peek.

$10 on Pittsburgh (Burnett) over Kansas City (Chen) -1 1/2 @ +$170

Burnett is 3-0, with a 1.56 ERA in his last three starts and is 3-0, 1.02 at home this season. Chen is 2-2, with a 5.52 ERA on the highway this year. The Bucs have won 11 of their last 14 games.

$10 on Washington (Zimmermann) over Boston (Lester) @ +$130

Zimmermann is only 3-5 this year, but sports a nifty 2.82 ERA, so lack of run support has been the issue. Lester has been giving up more than his share of runs lately, posting a 7.02 ERA in his last three trips to the mound and also has trouble at home as it evident in his 6.42 home ERA.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 188.25
Current Bankroll            $1,688.25
Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, June 9th

Three games on today's schedule that are worth a peek.

$15 on San Francisco (Vogelsong) over Texas (Feldman) @-$105

Vogelsong is 4-2, with a 2.38 ERA this season and is even better at home, posting a 1.52 ERA. The Giants have won his last six starts. Feldman is 0-4, with a hefty 11.15 ERA in his last four starts. His road ERA is 13.09. San Fran has won 6 of their last 8 games and the Rangers have dropped 7 of 10.

$15 on Chi Sox (Sale) over Houston (Lyles) -1 1/2 @ -$110

Sale is 7-2, with a 2.30 ERA on the year and is 4-0, 1.26 in his last four outings. Lyles is 1-1, 6.35 ERA in his last three trips to the mound. The Astros have dropped 7 of 10 games and are 7-19 on the highway this season.

$10 on Pittsburgh (McDonald) over Kansas City (Mazzaro) -1 1/2 @ +$155

His name is McDonald, but he's not pitching like Ronald, posting a 5-2 record, with a 2.14 ERA this season and is 2-0, 0.86 in his last three starts. Mazzaro is 1-1, with a 4.50 ERA in road starts. The Bucs have won 10 of their last 13 games.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 145.00
Current Bankroll            $1,645.00

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

Pokerpalooza- Thursday Edition

We had eight runners show for our Tuesday night Pokerpalooza party (Thursday Edition) at the Duck Blind. Farmer Harry brought the food and M2 baked a mess of brownies, so we were well fed before tossing the first card.

From left to right at the table were J-Dawg, who was supposed to miss, but his softball game was cancelled due to a wet field.

Wimps.

To his left was Sam, who is Ray-Ray's brother in law, visiting from California, Stamps, Dealer Larry, Ray-Ray, Farmer Harry, Gentleman Jim, and Lucki Duck.

Omaha high was played a lot last night in this dealer's choice, $20 buy-in limit game, which meant it was a night of big hands. Ray-Ray hit a straight flush to the seven early in the game, and it held up all night to win the High Hand Jackpot. J-Dawg later hit quad fours, then Stamps topped him with four rulers. Jim managed four tens and I was able to win a nice pot with quad jacks.

Ray-Ray was the big winner on the evening, doubling his buy-in plus a little. Stamps also had a good night, as did Harry. Sam was the big loser, so I guess we're sending him back to the left coast a little lighter in the wallet. The rest of us pretty much broke even. I lost a dollar, but don't worry, I think I'll be okay :)

Tonight is the sixth of sixteen tournaments in our Vegas Or Bust Poker League. I've won the last four in a row and hope to keep my streak going, but it'll be tough. Expect a post over the weekend.

Till next time, win the flips.

MLB Picks, June 8th

One game on the MLB menu today that looks tasty.

$10 on LA Angels (Wilson) over Colorado (White) -1 1/2 @ +$115

Wilson is 2-0, with a tiny 0.45 ERA in his last three starts. White is 2-2, 6.52 in his last three. LA has won five straight road games. The Rockies are 7-11 versus southpaws this season.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 133.50
Current Bankroll            $1,633.50

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, June 7th

Two games on the docket today that look interesting.

$15 on NY Mets (Dickey) over Washington (Wang) -1 1/2 @ +$135

Dickey is having a phenomenal year, posting an 8-1 record and a 2.69 ERA. In his last three trips to the bump he's been even better, going 3-0, 0.39. Wang has only started one game this season and is currently 1-1, with a 6.43 ERA for the year.

$15 on San Francisco (Cain) over San Diego (Marquis) -1 1/2 @ +$125

Cain is 6-2, with a 2.62 ERA this season and is 5-0 in his last five starts. Today will be Marquis' first start of the season. The Giants have won 8 of their last 10 games and 7 of the last 10 in San Diego. The Padres are struggling, dropping 9 of their last 11 games.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 94.50
Current Bankroll            $1,594.50

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, June 6th

A couple of AL games look juicy on this D-Day.

Kansas City (Paulino) over Minnesota (Blackburn) -1 1/2 @ +$165

Paulino is 3-1, with a 1.70 ERA this season. Blackburn is 1-4, 8.37 ERA on the year and is even worse lately, posting an 11.08 ERA in his last three trips to the bump.

Boston (Beckett) over Baltimore (Chen) -1 1/2 @ +$125

Beckett is 1-1, with a 2.91 ERA in his last three starts. Chen is 0-2, 7.31 ERA in his last three. The Orioles are 0-5 in Chen's last five outings. Baltimore has lost 8 of their last 10 games going into Tuesday's contest.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 114.50
Current Bankroll            $1,614.50

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, June 5th

It's been a rough couple of weeks on the prognosticating front. It seems I can't even pick my nose at the moment :) When things go against you at the poker table, it's a good idea to take a break and step away from the table to let your head clear. I think that's what I'll do today, take a seat on the bench and try again tomorrow.

My Astros had the first pick in yesterday's draft and surprised everyone by taking Carlos Correa, a 17 year old shortstop from Puerto Rico. It seems to be a popular pick with the people in the know, with one even comparing him to Alex Rodriquez. Yeah, we'll see.

Here's an excerpt from Richard Justice:

When Correa accepted Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow's invitation to participate in a simulated game in Kissimmee, Fla., last week, there wasn't much the club didn't already know about him. But there were questions Luhnow still needed answered.

"I wanted to see how he handled 92-93 mph inside fastballs," Luhnow said.

Correa took 12 to 15 at-bats that day, and handled a diet of inside hard stuff. He showed a combination of discipline and power.

"He swung and missed once," Luhnow said, "and that was on a curveball out of the strike zone."

I think the best move Houston made in the off season was hiring Luhnow as their GM. He's a huge upgrade above Ed Wade and I think he'll build a competitive club in the Bayou City in the next 3-4 years. I sure hope so, it ain't no fun right now!

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 114.50
Current Bankroll            $1,614.50

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, June 4th

It's a limited MLB schedule today, but there is one game worth a nibble.

$20 on San Francisco (Vogelsong) over Chi Cubs (Samardzija) -1 1/2 @ +$165

Vogelsong is 2-0, with a 1.77 ERA in his last three starts and is even better at home, posting a 1.31 ERA. Samardzija is having a decnt season, but throws better at home than on the road. He's 2-2, with a 4.61 ERA when pitching on the highway. The Giants have won three straight while the Cubs have dropped three in a row. Chicago is 6-20 on the road this year.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 134.50
Current Bankroll            $1,634.50

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, June 3rd

A lot of interesting match-ups in the bigs today, but only one that looks +EV.

$15 on Washington (Gonzales) over Atlanta (Hanson) -1 1/2 @ +$170

Gonzales is 7-1, with a 2.04 ERA this season and is even better at home, posting a 3-0 record and a 1.29 ERA. Hanson is 1-1, 4.96 ERA in his last three starts, including surrendering 6 runs in 3+ innings against the Cardinals his last time out. The Braves have lost 8 of their last 10 games.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 149.50
Current Bankroll            $1,649.50

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, June 2nd

One game looks good on the menu today, as the top two teams in the AL East face off.

$10 on Tampa Bay (Hellickson) over Baltimore (Matusz) -1 1/2 @ +$125

Hellickson is 4-1, with a 2.83 ERA this season, and is even better a home where he sports a 1.63 ERA. Matusz is 2-2, with a 5.09 ERA on the highway this season. The O's have lost 6 straight games.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 159.50
Current Bankroll            $1,659.50

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!

MLB Picks, June 1st

One game on today's menu that's worth a look. I was considering taking Kansas City over Oakland (who has lost 8 straight), but the Royals have been horrible at home this season, posting a 5-17 record, so I decided to pass.

$20 on Arizona (Miley) over San Diego (Richard) -1 1/2 @ +$145

Lefty Miley is 6-1, with a 2.41 ERA this season, and is even better on the highway, posting a 3-0 record and a 1.55 ERA. Richard is 2-6, 4.76 on the year. The Padres have lost 6 straight games and are 3-16 against southpaws this season.

Starting Bankroll           $1,500.00
Profit/Loss                     $ 159.50
Current Bankroll            $1,659.50

Action is considered dead unless both listed pitchers start.

All picks are for entertainment purposes only with no guarantees implied. Any money wagered is at your own risk.

Good luck!