Free MLB Pick: Detroit Tigers vs. Kansas City Royals Odds: September 17th 2009

Detroit Tigers vs. Kansas City Royals
Free MLB Pick: Detroit Tigers (-110 odds)
Thu September 17th 2009 1:05p
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The Tigers snapped their five-game losing streak to the Royals last night and it certainly was not easy but that momentum should carry forward here. Kansas City has been red hot with wins in seven of eight games prior to Wednesday but this season has proven to be tough to overcome losses overall as the Royals have been hit with numerous losing streaks of multiple games. Zack Greinke has been outstanding this season with a 2.19 ERA and 1.07 WHIP through 29 starts, both of which easily lead the American League. Numbers like those are very good but looking at the big picture shows us that sometimes all that good pitching mean little. In those 29 starts, the Royals are just 14-15 in those 29 games which is pretty horrid considering the solid stats. If Greinke played for a better team, he would have more wins as would the team he is playing for. Kansas City started the season going 6-0 and 8-2 in his starts but since then it is 8-15 and 6-13 respectively so things have not been working out. The big problem has been run support as the Royals have scored three runs or less in 14 of his last 19 starts and two runs or less nine times over that span. On the road, Kansas City is averaging just 2.1 rpg in his 14 outings. Edwin Jackson started really strong and has fallen off somewhat but certainly not much. He has a 3.22 ERA and 1.24 WHIP through 29 starts and while his ERA goes up to 3.44 at home, his WHIP drops to 1.20 and that is pretty important and has been part of the reason the Tigers have gone 10-3 in his 13 home starts. Seven of his 10 daytime starts this season have been quality outings and that means he can easily do it again. He has tossed two quality starts against the Royals this season with Detroit going 1-1 with the one win coming at home. As for Greinke, he is 4-4 in quality starts against Detroit but Kansas City is 0-2 in the two games pitched in Detroit. The Royals are 2-9 in Greinke’s last 11 starts following a quality outing in his last start while the Tigers are 9-1 in Jackson’s last 10 starts as a home favorite including a 5-0 record as a favorite of less than -150. 3* Detroit Tigers