Sports Handicapper Big Al McMordie's Picks & Predictions

At 2:00 pm, on Wednesday, our selection is on Spain over Iran.  While Spain's 3-3 result against Portugal on Friday left La Roja with a bad taste in their mouths, it actually dominated much of that match after falling behind 1-0.  Indeed, it looked like Spain was going to win by a 3-2 score before Cristiano Ronaldo scored on a perfectly executed free kick in the 88th minute.  Despite the failure to secure the 3 points with a win, there were a number of encouraging developments for La Roja.  First, their tiki-taka tactics allowed them to hold possession for 61% of the match against the reigning European champions.  And, second, Striker Diego Costa scored twice and seemed very comfortable operating within their short and continual passing scheme.  That's important, as one of the biggest questions the Spanish had entering the World Cup was whether Costa would thrive in this system.  Certainly, La Roja needs to clean up its defensive play but it has an appropriate foil in Iran, which surely is feeling very good about itself after its 1-0 win over Morocco last week.  For much of that game, it looked like Team Melli was going to end up with a draw.  But a corner kick resulted in an own-goal by the Moroccans to give Iran the surprising upset victory in the extra stoppage time.  Yet Team Melli was outplayed in most of that match as they controlled possession for just 36% of the game.  I look for a blowout today, as Spain scored 36 goals while it allowed only three in its 10 qualification matches for the World Cup.  Meanwhile, Iran's win vs. Morocco was just its second victory ever in a World Cup, and it's scored just one goal in its last four matches dating back to 2014.  Take Spain.  Elite Info Play.  As always, good luck....Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the New York Yankees over the Seattle Mariners.  The Yankees will hand the ball to Jonathan Loaisiga tonight.  They're already calling him "Johnny Lasagna" in the Bronx, even though he's from Nicaragua, and not Italy.  Loaisiga only has one Major League start to his credit, but he did little wrong in those five scoreless innings last week vs. Tampa Bay.  The 23-year-old rookie goes for start number two tonight at home against a Mariners club whose starter -- RHP Felix Hernandez -- has 389 more MLB starts than he does.  That likely won't matter as the Bronx faithful will be 100% behind their young pitcher, even though his days in the rotation may be numbered (the Yanks are rumored to be interested in a number of veteran arms on the trading block).  Admittedly, Seattle's King Felix has some pretty strong numbers at Yankee Stadium, but he hasn't pitched there since April 2016.  And he's also not the dominant performer he used to be -- far from it, in fact.  Heading into tonight's game, the M's are 2-8 in the last 10 meetings.  And the Yankees are now 85-42 (+23 games on the moneyline) at home in nighttime games.  Take New York.  MLB Roadkill Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie