June 22nd, 2009 Picks

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(skip to picks)Congratulations once again to the fathers of the world! 1-2-0 for me today as Pakistan broke me off a 2 game losing streak, but then Jurrjens and Lackey both fucked up in ways that only ended up being decisive by the time it was too late and the Braves and Angels fell to the better teams. In case anyone is wondering what happened to the mp3 player, the scores from CBS, or the hulu content they're still there, they just have to be turned on with one of the buttons up in the corner of the header. Well, on to the picks then.

Recaps

Incredible Afridi Six In 18^th Over Paves The Way For Pakistan's Victory

Pakistan 139/2 - Sri Lanka 138/6 (Pakistan win by 8 wickets)

``Sangakkara paced his innings expertly, reaching fifty off 44 balls despite the problems that surrounded him, but only found support when joined by Angelo Mathews. The final five overs brought 59 runs and if any attack could make a game out of 138 it was Sri Lanka's. Early wickets, however, were key and they didn't materialise as Akmal and Shahzaid Hasan played sensibly. The wizardry of Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan and the accuracy of Lasith Malinga have provided wonderful entertainment over the last weeks, but on this occasion couldn't conjure the magic spell that was needed. Occasionally the tension rose as [Pakistan's] required rate climbed, but each time [Shahid] Afridi was on hand with one of his most mature innings. He hit consecutive balls from Muttiah Muralitharan for six and four in the 14th over, a calculated assault against a key bowler. The destination of the trophy was sealed when he swung a huge six over midwicket off Isuru Udana in the 18th over - the moment when Sangakkara gambled on one of his weaker bowling links - and followed that with another boundary off a high full toss."

Read more....Box ScorePhotosPlays of the DayPakistan Clinical

Nick Green's First Pitch Walk Off Sinks Jurrjens, Braves

Boston Red Sox 6 - 5 Atlanta Braves

``Nick Green surprised the Boston Red Sox by overcoming long odds to make the team. On Sunday, he was surprised that his homer won the game. The shortstop who went to spring training as a non-roster player but is now the starter hit the first pitch in the bottom of the ninth just inside the right-field foul pole 302 feet from home plate. Wakefield allowed Brian McCann's two-run double in the first. The Red Sox went ahead with three runs in the first off Jair Jurrjens. Dustin Pedroia doubled and took third on an error when Jurrjens bobbled Kevin Youkilis' grounder. Jason Bay hit a sacrifice fly and David Ortiz gave the Red Sox a 3-2 lead with his sixth homer of the season, a two-run shot. A misplay that fell for a hit in the fourth led to Boston's fourth run."

Read more....Box ScoreCox, O'Flaherty, Jones Ejected In 7^th

Kershaw Excels As Loney's Home Run Lifts Dodgers Above Angels

Los Angeles Dodgers 5 - 3 Los Angeles Angels

``Clayton Kershaw was pulled 2½ weeks ago after giving up three runs and throwing 83 pitches in his worst outing of the season. On Sunday, he shut down a potent Los Angeles Angels lineup that leads the league in batting. Lackey, who has had an up and down season after missing the first six weeks with an elbow injury, didn't get much of a lift as the Angels left 12 on base. Juan Pierre had a pair of RBI doubles, Casey Blake hit an RBI single and the Dodgers had nine hits off Angels starter John Lackey. Loney's fourth homer of the season put the Dodgers ahead 4-0 after a brief review. The ball appeared to carom off a railing just above the wall in right-center and bounced back on the field. It was originally ruled a home run, and the call was upheld after the umpires looked at the replay."

Read more....Box Score

Picks
1) Nicolas Almagro vs. Juan Monaco - Almagro
2) Xavier Malisse vs. Rainer Schuetller - Malisse
3) Who Will Win The U.S. Open: Lucas Glover or Ricky Barnes vs. Someone Else - Someone else
4) England (U21) vs. Germany (U21) - Germany (U21)
5) LSU vs. Texas - Texas
6) St. Louis Cardinals @ New York Mets - St. Louis
7) San Francisco Giants @ Oakland Athletics - Oakland
8) Colorado Rockies @ Los Angeles Angels - Los Angeles

Previews
1) Neither Juan Monaco nor Nicolas Almagro are particular grass court specialists.

Nicolas Almagro (left) faces off against Juan Monaco (right). Monaco has exited Wimbledon in the first round in both his appearances. Almagro has played here four times, reaching the second round once, in 2008.

This will be Monaco's first ATP event on a grass court since 2007 where he lost in the 1^st round at Wimbledon to Kristof Vliegen in straight sets, 4-6, 3-6, 6-7(3). It was Monaco's second Wimbledon ever and marked his second exit in the round of 128 from the tournament. The younger Almagro has participated in four Wimbledon's over his career, bowing out in the 1^st round three times and reaching the 2^nd round last year before losing to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in five sets, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 1-6, 2-6. Head to head Monaco and Almagro have played each other three times with Almagro holding a 2-1 edge, most recently in the ATP Masters Series at Monte Carlo in 2008. Almagro was leading one set to none and was up 3-0 in the decisiving second set when Monaco retired. The pair have split their only other two matches with Almagro winning again in 2008 in straight sets and Monaco winning in 2007 in straight sets. This will be their first match against one another on the grass surface. Almagro is currently the money line favorite at -150 with Monaco at near even odds (+105). Given that neither are terrific grass players this should be anyone's match, but Almagro has been more successful overall this year with an ATP 250 win this year and appears to have the greater potential of the two.

Follow The Match's Progress With Live Score Updates

Xavier Malisse (left) seeks to continue his success while Rainer Schuettler (right) will try to match his best ever Wimbledon.

2) Rainer Schuettler will attempt to follow up on his surprise run into the semifinals at Wimbledon last year which salvaged his world ranking after it had slumped all the way to #94. Previously he had never made it past the fourth round, which he reached for the first and only other time in 2003. His opponent today, Xavier Malisse, reached the semifinals at Wimbledon in 2002, but other than that has had to settle for a long succession of second round exits. Schuettler has been gearing up for Wimbledon by playing in a pair of ATP 250 Series events on grass, at 's-Hertogenbosch and Halle, being defeated both times by Benjamin Becker. Malisse entered Queen's Club where he reached the round of 16 before being defeated by Juan Carlos Ferrero. Head to head Schuettler is 4-2, with both losses coming on clay. Schuettler won their last match, in 2007, in three out of three sets - 6-7(4), 7-6(1), 6-3. SkyBet has odds on this match at -120 for each player.

4) England's 2-0 victory over tournament darlings Spain on Thursday saw them secure their place in the playoff stage of the UEFA Under-21 Championship with 6 points being earned from their two group matches. Germany is coming off a victory over Finland and currently sit in second place behind England with four points. They only need draw to clinch a spot in the semifinals, but a loss coupled with a Spanish win over Finland would put Spain level with Germany on points and lead to a tie-break on goal differential, then total goals scored. Regardless of the situation concerning advancement to the semifinals both Germany and England are focused on winning this match.

``I don't know if I will rest players. In these tournaments, if you take take your foot off the gas for one moment it's fatal. You never pick up the tempo again."
---England coach Stuart Pearce

``This changes nothing, it's not my first thought to avoid yellow cards or suspensions. Everyone has to be at their best, and I'm only interested in the victory. Nothing else counts."
---German coach Horst Hrubesch

Both teams will be facing some injury concerns when the take the field at Oranje vall. Defender Sebastian Bönisch will miss for the Germans, but Jerome Boateng and Gonzalo Castro look to feature in the backfield. For England striker Gabriel Agbonlahor's absence is their biggest concern, though Frazier Campbell filled in wonderfully for him against Spain. Possible lineups for each side could look like this:

Results From Group Play
England	Germany
Spain (2:0)	Finland (2:0)
Finland (2:1)	Spain (0:0)

England Possible Starting XI: Hart, Cranie, Richards, Onuoha, Gibbs, Cattermole, Noble, Muamba, Johnson, Walcott, Campbell.
Germany Possible Starting XI: Neuer, Beck, Boateng, Hoewedes, Schmelzer, Khedira, Aogo, Castro, Marin, Oezil, Dejagah.

The odds for this match have the draw as the most favored result, with Germany ever so slightly favored over England. This is probably a case of two sides who will feel little pressure to win and will thus be able to play their best football.