Major League Baseball Trendy Talk
By Doug Upstone
While your parents taught you gossip is unhealthy, it is a positive when breaking down baseball betting. For those that participate in sports betting, having knowledge that can give you the edge, well it’s invaluable. Review the best information anywhere on four meaningful baseball contests tonight.
Florida at Philadelphia 7:05 E
Both these NL East clubs busted out scoring slumps last night as they totaled 18 runs on 26 hits, with Philadelphia (31-26, -5.4 units) winning 10-8. Because of tonight’s pitching matchup, they could both go right back into batting slumps. Roy Halladay (8-3, 2.03 ERA) goes for the Phillies and Josh Johnson (6-2, 2.10) for Florida (28-31, -5.5).
Sportsbook.com has the Phillies as -160 money line home favorites and as good as Doc Halladay is, Johnson isn’t too shabby with the Marlins 41-18 when he starts and 13-5 when he is underdog of +150 or less. With the way the Phils have been hitting lately, Halladay probably feels like he’s back in Toronto and is 5-9 (-11.8 Units) against the ML after giving up two or less earned runs in his last two outings over the last two seasons. (Team's Record)
It’s not all doom and gloom for Philadelphia as they are 29-15 vs. an NL starting pitcher whose WHIP is 1.250 or better and the floundering Fish (four straight losses) are 1-11 versus a NL starting pitcher whose ERA is 3.50 or lower this season.
San Diego at N.Y. Mets 7:10 E
The Padres (34-24, +13.3) got a rare taste of their own medicine, falling 2-1 in extra innings to New York (31-27, +4.1). Even with last night’s defeat, San Diego is uncanny 9-3 when a total of four or less runs are scored this year. Mat Latos (5-4, 3.26) has the unfortunate luck of drawing another top line pitcher in tonight’s action. Latos has been matched against Halladay, Tim Hudson, Felix Hernandez, Josh Johnson, Yovani Gallardo and Jonathan Sanchez (three times) and has to look at Johan Santana (4-2, 2.76 ERA) this evening.
Santana has thrown 15 straight scoreless innings and has a 0.74 ERA over his last five starts and his teammates are thriving at Citi Field. The Mets are 23-9 at home and are riding their second nine-game winning streak in the Big Apple. New York is 7-0 at home after three or more consecutive wins this season and is a -150 ML favorite. Santana is his career is 104-33 as a favorite of -150 or more. (Team's Record) San Diego will attempt to counter and is 9-3 after four or more consecutive road games in 2010.
L.A. Angels at Oakland 10:05 E
Though it seldom gets much play nationally, the Angels (32-29, +2.2) and Athletics (31-29, +3.7) is one of the more heated division rivalries in baseball. The teams have split the first two of a four game series and Oakland will attempt to retake second place on the AL West behind Dallas Braden (4-5, 3.77), who hasn’t won since tossing a perfect game on Mother’s Day. Braden is 0-3 with a 4.45 ERA since May 9th; however oddsmakers still have the left-hander and the A’s as -128 favorites. Braden is 5-13 (-12.1 Units) against the ML as a home favorite of -110 or higher. (A's Record)
The Halos had their six-game winning stopped last night with 10-1 thumping and hand the ball to Joe Saunders (4-6, 4.78), who could be spokesperson for a yoyo company with his up and down performances. Saunders and the Angels are 13-4 in road tests vs. AL teams scoring 4.7 or less runs a game since 2008 and the port-sider is 10-4 vs. his rival. Even with last night’s loss, the Angels are 14-6 at McAfee Coliseum the past three seasons.
St. Louis at L.A. Dodgers 10:10 E
Manager Tony LaRussa tried to play the percentages, essentially giving away the first game of the series in Los Angeles with his pitching choices and coming back with Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright (8-3, 2.05 ERA) the next two games. His plan was foiled as Hiroki Kuroda and two relievers combined for a six-hitter in the Dodgers 1-0 shutout victory. St. Louis (33-26, -5) hasn’t been great this year, however they have avoided long losing streaks, but our in danger of losing four in a row for the first time since June 5-9, 2009.
Having Wainwright to pitch will be a big plus, as he is 3-1 with a 1.20 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 30 innings over his last four overall outings and has a 1.23 ERA in three starts against the Dodgers (35-24, +4.8). With the Cardinals a -105 betting option, they and Wainwright are 14-3 when the money line is +125 to -125 over the last two seasons.
The Blue Crew is in the midst of its longest homestand of the year (13 games) and have won seven of first nine and they own the finest record in the big leagues since May 9 at 22-7. Clayton Kershaw (5-3, 3.06) toes the rubber for L.A., with his club 37-15 at Dodger Stadium with a money line of -100 to -150 since last year.