Free Pick: Los Angeles Moneyline
Dodger Stadium has been kind to the home team in 2009, with the boys in blue winning each of their first 11 home games. There seems to be a certain comfort level there for both Dodger hitters and pitchers, who have allowed just under 2 runs per game at home this season. On Thursday, the Dodgers will take on the Washington Nationals and rookie Jordan Zimmermann, who gets to experience his first cross-country road trip as a professional.
Zimmermann has been impressive in his first four starts, holding a 2-1 mark thus far. He’s yet to see an offense like the one in L.A., though, and the patient Dodgers should have good success against the rookie. Zimmermann pounds the strike zone with a mid-90s fastball and has decent command of his breaking stuff. His only problem thus far has been finding the strike zone too often, and it’s hurt him in each of his last two times out. He allowed three home runs in his last start, and that won’t serve him well against the likes of Orlando Hudson, Manny Ramirez, and Andre Ethier.
On the other side of the coin is Randy Wolf, the time-tested left hander for the Dodgers. Wolf seems to be in top form right now, having just beaten the Padres last time out by giving up only two hits and a single run. He owns a sub-4.00 ERA and has been better at home this year than he has on the road. Given the number of left-handed bats in the Nationals lineup, Wolf should be effective in this start. Don’t expect him to shut out the Nationals, but with the way the Dodgers are swinging the bat, he won’t have to.
This game is just a matchup of an incredibly hot and talented team and a lousy team on its first road trip. The Dodgers should have no trouble even against the talented rookie, and I’d expect them to jump on Zimmermann’s fastball early. Play the run line here, and enjoy as the Dodgers win this game by a count of 6-4, or something similar.
Pick: LA Dodgers Moneyline
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