Friday's National League Betting Notes and Tips
By Covers.com
New York Mets at Washington Nationals (-200, 7.5) (Game 1)
Cold pitching stat: Mets starter Jenrry Mejia will make his first start of the season in the opener of Friday's double header. He requires surgery in the offseason to remove bone chips from his elbow.
Cold batting stat: Mets 1B Ike Davis is 4-for-19 (.211) with five strikeouts in his career versus Nats starter Jordan Zimmermann.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-80s with sunny skies.
Key betting note: The Mets are 3-7 in their last 10 opening games of a double-header.
New York Mets at Washington Nationals (+121, 7) (Game 2)
Hot pitching stat: Mets ace Matt Harvey is 1-0 in two starts versus the Nats this season. He has a 1.29 ERA and has held Washington bats to an average of .143.
Cold batting stat: Nats slugger Bryce Harper is 0-for-6 with two strikeouts in his career versus Harvey.
Weather: Temperatures in the low-80s with mostly sunny skies. Wind will blow out to left field at 4 mph.
Key betting note: The Mets are 4-1 in Harvey's last five road starts.
Pittsburgh Pirates at Miami Marlins (+140, 7.5)
Hot pitching stat: Pirates starter Jeff Locke is coming off a very good outing as he threw six innings of one-hit ball in his last start against the Cincinnati Reds on July 21.
Cold batting stat: Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton is batting a paltry .179 in the month of July.
Weather: The roof could be closed in Miami due to a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms. Temperatures will be in the low-90s and wind will blow out to left field at 7 mph.
Key betting note: The under is 20-6 in the last 26 meetings.
St. Louis Cardinals at Atlanta Braves (+105, 7.5)
Cold pitching stat: Braves starter Mike Minor is 3-3 with a 3.50 ERA at home compared to 6-2 with a 2.47 ERA on the road.
Hot pitching stat: Cards slugger Carlos Beltran is 4-for-7 with one homer and three RBIs in his career versus Minor.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-80s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow in from center field at 2 mph. There is a 20 percent chance of rain in the forecast.
Key betting note: The Cardinals are 11-1 in SP Adam Wainwright's last 12 starts as a road favorite.
Milwaukee Brewers at Colorado Rockies (-143, 9.5)
Hot pitching stat: Brewers starter Wily Peralta is 2-0 with a 0.31 ERA in four July starts. The Brewers are 4-0 in his starts this month.
Cold batting stat: Brewers SS Jean Segura has zero homers and just six RBIs in the month of July.
Weather: There is a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms in the forecast. Temperatures in the high-70s and wind blowing out to left field at 9 mph.
Key betting note: The over is 6-0 in the last six meetings.
San Diego Padres at Arizona Diamondbacks (-134, 8.5)
Cold pitching stat: Padres starter Eric Stults is 0-3 with a 7.71 ERA in his last three road starts this season.
Hot batting stat: DBacks 3B Martin Prado is 6-for-17 (.353) lifetime versus Stults.
Weather: Temperatures in the low-100s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow from left field to right field at 4 mph.
Key betting note: The Padres are 3-12 in their last 15 road games.
Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles Dodgers (-162, 6.5)
Cold pitching stat: Reds starter Homer Bailey is 0-3 with a 5.50 ERA in his three starts since throwing a no-hitter on July 2.
Hot batting stat: Reds 2B Brandon Phillips is 7-for-16 (.438) in his career versus Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw.
Weather: Partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the low-70s. Wind will blow out to right field at 5 mph.
Key betting note: The Dodgers are 7-1 in Kershaw's last eight starts versus the National League Central.
Chicago Cubs at San Francisco Giants (-169, 7)
Cold pitching stat: David DeJesus and Starlin Castro each hit solo homers as the Cubs beat the Giants 4-3 in San Fran SP Matt Cain's last start against Chicago.
Hot batting stat: The Giants roster is batting a collective .333 (31-for-93) against Cubs starter Edwin Jackson.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-50s with sunny skies. Wind will blow out to center field at 10 mph.
Key betting note: The Cubs are 2-10 in the last 12 meetings.
Friday's American League Betting Notes and Tips
By Covers.com
Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees (Off, Off)
Hot pitching stat: Rays starter Jeremy Hellickson is 5-0 in his last six starts.
Hot batting stat: Rays 3B Evan Longoria has feasted on Yanks starter C.C. Sabathia. Longoria is 18-for-47 (.383) with six homers, four doubles and 10 RBIs versus the southpaw.
Weather: Temperatures in the high-70s with sunny skies. Wind will blow out to right field at 5 mph.
Key betting note: The under is 8-0 in the Yankees' last eight Friday games.
Boston Red Sox at Baltimore Orioles (Off, Off)
Hot pitching stat: O's scheduled starter Chris Tillman tossed six shutout innings en route to a 2-0 victory in his last start against the Sox on June 14.
Cold batting stat: The Sox roster has hit just .205 (18-for-88) and managed three extra base hits (all doubles) collectively versus Tillman.
Weather: Sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-80s. Wind will blow out to left field at 4 mph.
Key betting note: The Orioles are 10-3 in their last 13 games versus a right-handed starter.
Texas Rangers at Cleveland Indians (-126, 8.5)
Hot pitching stat: Indians starter Corey Kluber lasted eight strong innings surrendering just one ER en route to the 5-2 win his time out against the Rangers on June 11.
Cold batting stat: Prior to opening their series against Cleveland, the Rangers left 27 runners on base in their four-game series against the Yankees.
Weather: Temperatures in the mid-70s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow out to left field at 4 mph.
Key betting note: The Rangers have the second best winning percentage (.581) of any A.L. team at Cleveland's Progressive Field.
Houston Astros at Toronto Blue Jays (-225, 9.5)
Cold pitching stat: Jays starter R.A. Dickey is 4-6 with a 5.84 ERA at Rogers Center in Toronto. His home ERA is 2.26 runs higher than it is on the road.
Cold batting stat: Astros star Jose Altuve is hitless in his career versus Dickey, going 0-for-5.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-70s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow out to left field at 8 mph.
Key betting note: The Astros are 3-12 in SP Jordan Lyles' last 15 road starts versus a team with a losing record.
Kansas City Royals at Chicago White Sox (+103, 8)
Cold pitching stat: After winning Shields' previous eight starts, the Royals have lost his last two turns on the mound. Shields gave up two homers in a 4-1 loss against Detroit his last time on the hill.
Hot batting stat: Sox SS Alexei Ramirez is 12-for-32 (.375) with two homers and four RBI in his career versus Shields.
Weather: There is a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms in the forecast for gametime. Temperatures will be in the high-60s and wind
will blow out to left field at 10 mph.
Key betting note: The under is 10-3 in the last 13 meetings.
Los Angeles Angels at Oakland A's (-168, 8)
Hot pitching stat: A's starter Bartolo Colon tossed a complete game, four-hit shutout against the Angels in his start on July 21.
Cold batting stat: Angels slugger Josh Hamilton is 1-for-12 in his career versus Colon.
Weather: Temperatures in the low-60s with sunny skies. Wind will blow out to right field at 11 mph.
Key betting note: The Angels are 2-9 in SP Jerome Williams' last 11 starts versus a team with a winning record.
Minnesota Twins at Seattle Mariners (-225, 7)
Hot pitching stat: Mariners ace Felix Hernandez is 3-0 with a 0.95 ERA in his last three outings.
Hot batting stat: Mariners 2B Dustin Ackley is 4-for-8 with a homer and four RBIs in his career versus Twins starter Scott Diamond.
Weather: Temperatures in the mid-70s with sunny skies. Wind will blow from left field to right field at 7 mph.
Key betting note: The under is 5-1 in Hernandez's last six starts versus the Twins.
Interleague
Philadelphia Phillies at Detroit Tigers (-155, 8)
Cold pitching stat: Tigers starter Doug Fister is 2-0 in four July starts, but has given up six homers and owns a 5.63 ERA for the month.
Hot batting stat: Three former A.L. players on the Phillies' roster (Ben Revere, Michael Young and Delmon Young) are a combined 16-for-47 (.340) against Fister.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-70s with mostly cloudy skies. Wind will blow in from right field at 8 mph.
Key betting note: The Phillies are 2-8 in their last 10 interleague road games.
MLB: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com
Philadelphia Phillies at Detroit Tigers
When Detroit and Doug Fister (8-5, 3.90 ERA) square off against Philadelphia and lefty Cole Hamels (4-12, 4.16 ERA) at Comerica Park in the opener of this Junior vs Senior set the Tigers do so with conditions on their side. Fister showing signs of another late-season run is off back-2-back quality starts allowing 3 runs over 12 innings of work. Fister is also 7-2 his last nine team starts during July, 2-0 at home vs an N.L. opponent. A deeper dive shows Detroit 14-2 as home favorite opening a series, 4-1 as home favorite opening a series w/Fister, 6-1 as home favorite off a road swing, 4-1 as a home favorite vs the Senior League. On the other side, Hamels off a loss in a sub-par 5 innings of 4 run-ball does not help Phillies chances. The hurler is on an 0-3 road skid following a sub-par performance in which he tossed less than six innings allowing four or more runs. A few final betting nuggets making the case for the Tigers. Phillies are on a 0-7 skid opening a series w/Hamels, 2-5 on the road vs the Junior League with the southpaw.
Boston at Baltimore: Preview & Pick
Sportspic.com
Two teams battling in a tight pennant race in the American League East is just a part of tonight’s baseball betting opportunity, with the Baltimore Orioles hosting the Boston Red Sox in the first of a three-game series at Camden Yards.
Boston is currently in first place, slightly ahead of Tampa Bay, and with a four-game lead over Baltimore. Given tonight’s surroundings, the current betting odds at Bovada have the Orioles are listed as -125 home favorites, with the run total set at 9.
Righthander Chris Tillman will start for the Orioles, having won nine of his last 10 outings to compile an impressive 12-3 mark and 3.84 ERA. Much of that production has come under the lights, with a 9-1 mark and 3.55 ERA.
His foe this evening will be fellow righty Ryan Dempster, who has a 5-8 record with a 4.28 ERA. Dempster struggled in his last effort, getting a no-decision in the 8-7 extra-inning victory over the Yankees Sunday night. In his 5 1/3 innings, he allowed six hits and walked four.
For the first month-and-a-half of this season, last season’s success for the Orioles produced a bit of a hangover when playing at home, with Baltimore managing just a 9-12 mark. However, since May 21, the team has had a torrid run that has seen them win 20 of 28 contests.
Much of that success has come when the lights go on at home. In the 34 night games the Orioles have played in front of their fans, the team is 24-10. It’s also 19-11 when the total is 9 or higher.
With respect to Tillman, a good deal of his recent run of success has taken place at Camden Yards, with the Orioles notching five consecutive victories in his Baltimore starts, as well as seven of his last nine.
Some negative numbers against the Red Sox don’t improve the team’s chances in this contest, with the Bosox winning just four of the last 13 times it has traveled to face the Orioles.
In addition, the team is 3-9 in its last 12 games as a road underdog, and is 1-6 in 2013 in the first game of a road series when they won with the starting pitcher in his previous trip to the mound.
As opposed to last year, this is not a matchup of two teams going in opposite directions. Boston, along with Tampa Bay, is a huge obstacle to overcome in the race for a division title. The view from here is that tonight, the Orioles will whittle away some of that distance, so our Free MLB Pick for tonight is
Play Baltimore Orioles -125
MLB Odds and Picks – Matt Harvey looks to continue dominance against struggling Nationals
By: The Linemakers
sportingnews.com
LAS VEGAS -- Matt Harvey has become the toast of New York, and even Yankee fans stop what they’re doing to see what he’ll do next. It’s been quite a while since a Mets player has taken over the rabid baseball scene in New York, but Harvey has been magical almost every outing this season. It’s as if he’s on the verge of a no-hitter every time he’s out there.
In his last outing, he shut down the Marlins, 5-0, going seven innings, allowing only three hits and striking out 10. On the year, he leads the NL in strikeouts (157), is just a blip behind Clayton Kershaw in WHIP (0.89 to 0.88) and is third in ERA (2.23).
Tonight, he takes on the Nationals in the second game of a double-header and is a -121 favorite against Ross Ohlendorf. This will be his third start against the Nats this season, and in both previous instances, he was absolutely awesome, but came away with only one win.
On April 19, he won his fourth consecutive game to start the season by shutting down Washington for seven innings, allowing one run in a 7-1 Mets win. His next time out against them, on June 28, he was just as good, striking out 11 and allowing only one run in seven innings, but the Mets bullpen blew it in the eighth and ninth inning to lose the game, 6-4.
Normally we don’t like to take a team in the second game of a double-header when we don’t know the results of the first game. But hey, this is Matt Harvey, and we know he’s going to bring his A-game – he always does – regardless of what happens in the first game.
Besides his consistent domination of hitters, another big reason we like Harvey tonight is the Nats bats. They put nine runs on the board against Pittsburgh yesterday, but it was only their third win in 14 games. Washington is desperation mode to save their season, and Harvey is the worst possible candidate for them to bust out of their hitting woes against.
Mets closer Bobby Parnell was the goat in Harvey’s last game against Washington, and chances are he’ll be called upon again to close tonight when Harvey’s pitch count nears 110. While that may seem like bad news, Parnell has actually been very good since that June 28 game where he took the loss. He’s converted six of his last seven save opportunities since the loss, including his last two against the Braves.
Expect minimal runs on North side
We’ve got a matchup between the Royals, a team that has stayed UNDER the total in 57 games this season, against the White Sox, who have scored the second least runs (369) in baseball behind the Marlins. Sox lefty Jose Quintana has allowed only seven runs combined over his past four starts and beat the Royals, 3-2, on June 22. Expect a similar score tonight.
Friday's selections:
Mets (Harvey) -121 at Nationals
Royals/White Sox UNDER 8 (-120)
Cardinals (Wainwright) -112 at Braves
Second half record: 19-10 (+1,054)