Big Al McMordie Sports Picks & Handicapper Review

At 4:10 pm, in Game 1 of the Double Header, our selection is on the New York Mets minus 1.5 runs over the Washington Nationals.  The only pennant race left in the Majors could come down to the final day.  The Mets surely can't be happy with their getting swept over the weekend by the Braves.  Those three losses (combined with Atlanta's loss yesterday) puts Atlanta up by 1.5 games with an elimination number of just one.  But the good news is that the Braves have to play a pesky Marlins club while the Mets are at home facing the team with the worst record in baseball -- Washington.  So there's certainly reason for optimism in Queens.  Veteran RH Carlos Carrasco will start things off for the home team this afternoon.  After a very good month of July, the 35-year-old has been very inconsistent in August and September.  Carrasco can certainly put the poor starts he's had recently out of everyone's mind with a quality outing tonight.  He's done by far his best work this season at Citi Field.  In 16 starts here covering 87 innings, Carrasco is 9-3 with a 3.52 ERA vs. 6-4 and 4.57 in 12 starts on the road.  Take the Mets minus 1.5 runs.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:10 pm, our selection is on the Houston Astros over the Philadelphia Phillies.  The Astros have locked up the best record and number 1 seed in the American League, so you could say that these final games don't mean anything to them -- just that they want to make sure they stay healthy.  But this one actually does mean something to Houston and its ace RHP, Justin Verlander.  The 'Stros would like to see Verlander get his 18th win tonight as it just might clinch his third Cy Young award.  Verlander not only already leads the AL with a 17-4 record, but he is also out in front with a 1.85 ERA, an .810 win percentage, a 0.85 WHIP, and hit rate of just 6.1.  There are few pitchers in the history of the game that have dominated in inter-league games like Verlander.  In 54 appearances (all starts) against the NL, Verlander is an incredible 37-8 with a 2.62 ERA and 1.03 WHIP.  And against the Phillies, the 39-year-old is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in two starts covering 14 innings.  Despite the loss last night, the home team is 6-3 in the last nine meetings of these two teams.  Take the Astros.

At 10:10 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Dodgers minus 1.5 runs over Colorado.  The Rockies won last night, 2-1, which was L.A.'s second straight loss.  But Los Angeles generally bounces back off low-scoring games, as it's 33-5 at home after scoring less than 3 runs.  Even better:  it's 48-16 behind its southpaw, Julio Urias, who has gone 10-1 with a 1.12 ERA over his last 13 outings.   Urias will be opposed by Colorado's Ryan Feltner, who will be making his 21st career start.  The Rockies have gone 6-14 in his other starts, including 2-9 on the road, and 0-8 in games where the Over/Under was less than 9 runs.  Feltner's ERA since August has been 6.29, and he's made just one quality start over his last 13.  Take Los Angeles minus 1.5 runs.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:40 pm, our selection is on the San Francisco Giants over the San Diego Padres.  The Phillies have joined the Padres in the final two Wild Card spots in the National League, leaving the Brewers on the outside looking in this season.  Since they will have to settle for the 5th or 6th seed -- that has yet to be determined -- the Pads rested a couple of their regular starters last night against the Giants and they may do the same tonight in their next-to-last game of the regular season.  The NL Cy Young award won't go to the Giants' Carlos Rodon, but the lefty is right in the mix for another top pitching honor.  The 29-year-old All Star is in a tight battle with Corbin Burnes for the NL strikeout title, and he has a 2.88 ERA in 31 starts with a league-leading 12.0 K rate.  In his only other start at Petco Park this season, Rodon threw a complete game, allowing one run one on three hits with 12 strikeouts in a 3-1 Giants victory.  Take San Francisco.