opening day

Las Vegas - OPENING DAY 2.0 BAABBEEE!!!

EXCITED and a little wary. Just lemme lay it down for those that have not sat at the Ecks & Bacon table the last few years. Baseball is my FAVORITE sport, to watch & handicap. We've had a pretty solid run the past few years and made a few bucks along the way. Actually, last season was just okay at 50-34, for a small cup of pennies. Posted a 70-36 mark in 2018, an 81-52 effort in 2017, 97-58 in 2016 and 87-51 in 2015. But this 60 game sprint is gonna be different than anything we have ever handicapped. Crazy new rules, the Covid-19 virus and possibly no listed pitchers. So, grab your glove and your bag of Sunflower seeds and step into the box with me. But NO SPITTING!!!

On to the openers. Most of you know that I BLEED pinstripes and will always have a tough time betting against the Yankees. Again, just putting all my cards on the table, but I'm rooting for the Yanks EVERY single game, and trying not to let my heart get in the way of my wagers. But, sometimes, it happens. Like tonight. Gonna roll with the New Yorkers and Gerrit Cole over the Nationals and Max Scherzer. Cole looked solid in his final tuneup, throwing 87 pitches and allowing 2 runs, with 7 Ks. Scherzer looked pretty ragged, at least initially, giving up three bombs and 7 runs over 2 innings.

And there is history. These guys faced each other in the opening game of the 2019 World Series, with Mad Max and the Nats getting a 5-4 win. Gerrit came back strong in game five, allowing just 1 earned run, 3 hits and 9 Ks over 7 innings. That game was AT Washington, and Cole seems to REALLY like pitching on the road. After the All-Star break, he was 8-0 away from home. And if you wanna talk domination, he allowed ONLY 51 earned runs over 64 innings for a STUPID LOW 0.89 road ERA. Taking New York to the bank, but remember, I'm TOTALLY biased.

Thinking the Dodgers should not have too many problems with the Giants, but not prepared to lay $300 to win back $100, even with Clayton Kershaw. If you don't mind the heavy chalk, go ahead and roll with L.A.

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