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GAME: Minnesota Twins @ Baltimore Orioles Jul 23, 2010 7:05PM
SPORT: Major League Baseball Picks
PICK: Minnesota Twins
Offered at: -130 WSEX
REASON FOR PICK: At 7:05 pm, our complimentary selection is on the Minnesota Twins over the Baltimore Orioles. For the second year in a row, Minnesota will move lefthander Brian Duensing from the bullpen into the rotation in the second half of the season. Last season Duensing became a starter full time toward the third week of August, and he put up some pretty strong numbers in that capacity for his team (5-1 with a 2.79 ERA in nine starts). Now its a year later and Duensing will replace the struggling Nick Blackburn in the Twins rotation and chances are that he will remain there for the rest of the season if he can put up the same type of numbers he did a year ago. This season, Duensing is doing much better as a reliever prior to his move than he was doing in 2009 as he is currently 3-1 with a 1.67 ERA in 39 relief appearances. The Twins bullpen is deep enough that they should be able to afford this switch and Duensing being a southpaw adds extra value in the rotation. He gets a great first assignment as a starter, against a struggling Orioles team and in a ballpark in which the Twins have done very well in recent years. The Os will turn to righthander Jeremy Guthrie for his 20th start of the season and its hard to believe that Guthrie has only won three of his first 19 starts. He hasnt fared very well at Camden Yards in his career, going just 13-25 in 56 career appearances (55 starts) there. Take the Twins. As always, good luck...Al McMordie. |
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