Thursday's card of hot and cold pitchers is a little thin with only three on each side of the spectrum. With just three pitchers with ERA's over 5.68 and only three pitchers with ERA's under 3.00 one of which we are backing tomorrow on our 2-Dime free pick released for free below!

Hot Starters:

Mat Latos (4-0, 33.1 IP, 1.35 ERA, 0.78 WHIP)

Padres -145 (2-Dime Free pick)

Latos has been great and he's been getting it done even on the road unlike most young pitchers as he's 5-2 with a 2.93 ERA on the road this season as teh Padres are 6-1 in his last 7 road starts. Washington has 34 AB vs. Latos and a .235 averag to show as Latos has gone 11.2 IP in two starts a year ago with 9 hits and 4 R.

Latos goes up against Luis Atilano who is 2-3 at home with a 5.68 ERA this year at home. Latos also gets an extra boost from getting an extra day of rest where he is 4-1 in his last 5 in that situation. Washington has always struggled when it comes to big time pitchers and Latos has been nothing but that with a 9-4 record and an ERA under 3 this year.

Washington just 19-49 in their last 68 vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15 and 7-21 in their last 28 as an under dog. While the Padres are 37-17 in their last 54 meetings.

Honorable Mention L5 Starts

John Cueto (3-1, 31.2 IP, 1.99 ERA, 1.39 WHIP)
Tommy Hunter (4-0, 2.30 ERA, 27.1 IP, 1.35 WHIP)

Cold Starters:

Brett Cecil (1-3, 28.1 IP, 5.72 ERA, 1.59 WHIP))

Cecil has an ERA of 6.89 in his last three starts and has struggled, but note that it's been primarily against National League opponents. He had three straight starts where he gave up 5 or more ER against the Padres, Cardinals, and Phillies. In his last start he rebounded against an AL team in the Yankees giving up just 1 ER in 6 IP.

Cecil will face the Twins who struggle against LHP primarily on the road with just 3.44 runs per 9 on the road. I like Cecil in here and might play it if he had more success in his home starts, but he just hasn't. He will go up against Scott Baker who has been awful on the road with a 1-5 record and a 6.55 ERA. Stats don't lie and I think you got to play the Jays in this game if anything.

Twins are 15-36 in their last 51 road games vs. a LH starter and 4-13 in Baker's last 17 starts as a dog. Toronto is 7-3 in Cecil's last 10 starts and 15-5 in their last 20 meetings with the Twins.

Ice Cold:

Luis Atilano (1-3, 25.1 IP, 5.68 ERA, 1.42 WHIP)
Jeremy Guthrie (0-4, 29.1 IP, 7.14 ERA, 1.59 WHIP)