MLB Picks: San Diego Padres vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

BetOnline Sportsbook continues with the third day of the baseball season, and we make our MLB picks on the NL West clash between the San Diego Padres and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

On Monday, the Padres ran into a buzz saw in the form of RHP Dan Haren. The Opening Day starter for the D’Backs got his 2010 campaign started in style, allowing just one run on three hits without a walk, striking out four along the way.

A pair of errors led to four unearned runs for Arizona.

Last season, Florida Marlins’ SS Emilio Bonifacio became the first major leaguer in over four decades to hit an inside-the-park home run on Opening Day. SS Stephen Drew matched the feat with his perfectly placed inside-the-parker in the fourth inning to blow the Arizona lead up to 6-0, a lead that it would never relent.

San Diego Padres (0-1, -$100) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (1-0, +$100)

Game Date/Time: Tuesday, April 6th, 9:40 ET
Game Location: Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
TV/Radio Broadcast: 4SD, Fox Sports Arizona, XM Radio

MLB Baseball Odds:

San Diego Padres +1’ -160 +130
(Chris Young – R)

Arizona Diamondbacks -1’ +140 -150
(Edwin Jackson – R)

Total:
9’ O -110
9’ U -110

RHP Chris Young is the man responsible for making a winner out of those making their MLB picks on the Padres on Tuesday night.

Last season was an injury-riddled one for Young. He only went 4-6 with a 5.21 ERA in 14 starts. His year ended in the middle of last June, so this will be his first outing in almost ten months.

Historically, Young is a real power pitcher, and why not at 6’10"? He had some major issues with walks and home runs in 2009, having just a 1.20 K/BB ratio and allowing 12 homers in those 14 starts, which is more dingers than he conceded in all of 2007 when he started 30 games.

Meanwhile, this will be the first look for Arizona fans at the newly acquired RHP Edwin Jackson.

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Jackson will be playing on his third different team in as many years, as he has been traded from Tampa Bay to Detroit, and now to the desert.

It certainly hasn’t been because of a lack of production. Over the L/2 years, Jackson is 27-20, and he is coming off of a career best ERA season in ’09 (3.62). The right-hander also posted a career high in strikeouts with 161, while his 3.62 ERA was also incredibly solid.

However, the former Tiger needs to get over his poor end to 2009, as he allowed at least five runs in four of his final five outings of the year.

MLB Baseball Insider Tip: Arizona is a stellar 41-18 in its L/58 home games as favorites of -150 to -200.

Jackson will want to put his best foot forward in his first start in his new uniform. Young still has a ton of question marks surrounding him with all of that time off.

Aside from that, we must be reminded that 2009 was a miserable year for the Padres, particularly away from Petco Park. San Diego finished just 33-48 as visitors last year.

My MLB pick for the night is on the hosts whom I expect to see move to 2-0 on the season.

My MLB Prediction: Arizona Diamondbacks (Jackson)