Must See Sports – Third Weekend of June 2013

Last week's advantage/disadvantage record, excluding series: 2-3
Last week's advantage/disadvantage record in series: 1-0-1
2013 Advantage/Disadvantage Record, excluding series: 25-25 

2013 Advantage/Disadvantage Record (series only): 2-3-1

It’s Father’s Day weekend. What better way to spend time with dear old Dad than flipping on the idiot box and indulging in sports all weekend?

Friday, June 14

Major League Baseball

San Francisco Giants at Atlanta Braves

Madison Bumgarner (5-4, 3.58 ERA, 79 Ks) – Giants vs Kris Medlen (3-6, 2.87 ERA)

This is a meeting of big boys in the National League. The Braves are trying to pull away in the National League East while the Giants are giving chase to the first place Arizona Diamondbacks in the N.L. West. The Giants have been sketchy at best on the road this season. Likewise, Braves starting pitcher Kris Medlen has been the hardest of hard luck losers this year. Medlen lost five straight decisions this season in spite of posting impressive numbers. The problem? In those five losses, the Braves scored a combined total of eight runs. 

Medlen is now riding a two decision winning streak. The Braves’ bullpen is lockdown. The Giants’ bats turn into rubber hoses on the road.

Advantages: Game – Braves, Series – Braves

Medlen is due for some good luck to offset the bad. 1

Saturday, June 15

Major League Baseball

Washington Nationals at Cleveland Indians

Jordan Zimmerman (9-3, 2.00 ERA) – Nationals vs Scott Kazmir (3-4, 5.33 ERA) - Indians

The Nats came into 2013 with lofty expectations and are chasing the Braves in what will be a marathon race in the N.L. East. Former World Series winning Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona has the Tribe playing competitive ball about a year ahead of schedule. 

Washington has talented position players in outfielders Bryce Harper (.287, 12 HR, 23 RBI) and Jayson Werth (.252, 5 HR, 14 RBI, 36 GP) , but pitching is its bread and butter. Except for a blip when he was rocked at Baltimore late last month, Jordan Zimmerman has been lights out when he takes the mound.

Scott Kazmir has been like a box of chocolates in 2013: you never know what you’re going to get. After being smacked around the parks of MLB early in the season, Kazmir rebound to have some very good starts mixed in with mediocre starts. Fortunately for Kazmir, the Nationals’ lineup is nothing to write home about. In addition, Kazmir can expect to have run support with newly acquired third baseman Mark Reynolds jacking the ball out of the park and catcher Carlos Santana tearing the cover off of the ball. Cleveland is a team, however, that struggles on the road and, again, there is no telling which Scott Kazmir shows up on Saturday.

Advantages: Game – Nationals, Series – Nationals

Bryce Harper may want to turn it down a notch. 2

Sunday, June 16

NBA

2013 NBA Finals – Game 5

Miami Heat at San Antonio Spurs

We discussed the series at length earlier. It is tough to pick a winner in this pivotal game. San Antonio is at home and rarely loses two in a row at the AT&T Center. On the other hand, the health of Spurs point guard Tony Parker is somewhat unknown. In addition, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh of the Heatles appear to have found their rhythm and gotten hot in Miami’s Game 4 win. I wouldn’t wager a nickel on this game, which could swing either way.

Advantage: Spurs

There's only one way for Parker to silence questions about his health: Play. 3

Tuesday, June 18

2013 NBA Finals – Game 6

San Antonio Spurs at Miami Heat

Miami will either have an opportunity to close the series out and repeat as NBA Champions or will be fighting for its life, facing elimination. I don’t expect the Heat to lose at home under either set of circumstances, especially the latter.

Advantage: Heat

4

Don't forget to vote in the fan polls!

To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.

The Daily Hat Trick is sponsored by Sports N Stuff. For great deals on jerseys, shirts, cologne, and other guy stuff, visit http://www.sportsnstuff.biz/.


1) Image from http://blogs.ajc.com 
2) Image from www.sportingnews.com
3) Image from http://www.cbc.ca
4) Image from www.thelifeflies.com