Tuesday MLB picks

[Raji]

Detroit Tigers at Los Angeles Angels (+101, 8)

So far in this young season, there is no team that has a larger discrepancy between home and away records than the Los Angeles Angels. Heading into Monday’s game, Los Angeles is 8-2 in the cozy confines of Angels Stadium and a league-worst 1-7 on the road.

“We’ve done a 180-degree turnaround twice this season,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia told the Los Angeles Times. “We had the first week here, the road trip, then back here. Hopefully it will stabilize and we’ll get the pressure we need to put on teams.”

Last season the Angels’ home (45-36) and away (44-37) records were nearly identical.

“We're seeing the signs we need,” Scioscia said. “I just hope we don’t have another drought like we had on the road.”

Pick: Angels +101

San Diego Padres at Arizona Diamondbacks (-143, 9)

Randy Johnson is scheduled to make his first major league start today since being reacquired by the Arizona Diamondbacks. The 43-year-old left-hander had back surgery in October and began the season on the disabled list. After Thursday's rehab start in the minors, Arizona manager Bob Melvin was confident Johnson was ready.

“I think he felt good about the last several innings, where he picked up the intensity in his own mind, and got after it a little harder,” Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin told the East Valley Tribune. “Sometimes you can feel your way through those rehab assignments and it’s not the same feel as a big league game. I expect the intensity to increase that much more in a big league game.”

Hopefully, for the sake of Arizona backers, Johnson’s intensity will rub off on his teammates. The Diamondbacks have lost six of their last seven games after starting

Raji