MLB: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com
Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks
The middle matchup of a three game series is today’s baseball betting focus as Arizona Diamondbacks host Los Angeles Dodgers this evening at Chase Field. Southpaw Wade Miley toes the rubber for Kirk Gibson's squad and will bring a 2-1 record, 4.05 ERA to the mound. Miley will be matching pitches with Dodgers' right-hander Zack Greinke, who has a 2-0 record this season with a 3.27 ERA. What should get the attention of MLB sports handicappers, the D-Backs are 0-3 at home vs Dodgers with Miley touching toe to rubber while L.A. is 3-0 overall vs D-Backs with Greinke starting. Those digging deeper will unearth compelling numbers in Dodgers’ favor are the figures compiled by Greinke in April. The hurler has a near perfect 8-1 TSR in April since moving to the National League in 2012 including a perfect 4-0 TSR wearing a Dodger uniform.
Saturday's MLB National League Betting Cheat Sheet
By Covers.com
Miami Marlins at Philadelphia Phillies (-114, 8)
Hot pitching stat: Phillies are 6-0 in Pettibone's last six starts in the division.
Cold batting stat: Ryan Howard is .167 lifetime against Nathan Eovaldi.
Weather: Weather information is currently unavailable.
Key betting note: Marlins are 7-3 in their last ten games as an underdog.
Washington Nationals at Atlanta Braves (-134, 7)
Cold pitching stat: Washington are 1-4 in Taylor Jordan's last five road starts.
Hot batting stat: Anthony Rendon is batting 1.000 in four career at bats against Alex Wood.
Weather: Potential high of 79.
Key betting note: Atlanta own the Nationals in recent history, holding a 20-7 record over the last 27 games.
Pittsburgh Pirates at Milwaukee Brewers (-155, 8)
Hot pitching stat: Milwaukee are 6-2 against the NL Central in Gallardo's last eight starts.
Hot batting stat: Rickie Weeks has a lifetime .353 average against Edison Volquez.
Weather: Chance at rain with a 60% projected humidity.
Key betting note: Milwaukee are 6-0 this season following a win.
Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals (-214, 7)
Hot pitching stat: St. Louis are 6-1 in ace Adam Wainwright's last seven home starts.
Cold batting stat: Only one member of the Cardinals lineup has a career home run over project Cubs starter Carlos Villenueva.
Weather: Partly cloudy with a potential high of 79.
Key betting note: Cardinals are 4-1 in Wainwright's last five starts against the Cubbies.
Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks (115, 8)
Hot pitching stat: Dodgers Zach Grienke owns division opposition as he has Los Angeles holding an 11-1 trend in his last 12 starts against NL West ballclubs.
Hot batting stat: Arizona slugger Paul Goldschmidt is on fire, batting .340 with 8 RBI's already this season.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the high 80's.
Key betting note: Los Angeles are currently on a four game win streak in Arizona.
Colorado Rockies at San Francisco Giants (-137, 7.5)
Cold pitching stat: Giants are 5-16 in Matt Cain's last 21 starts.
Hot batting stat: Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki has four career dingers against Matt Cain.
Weather: Partly cloudy with a potential high of 62.
Key betting note: Giants are 7-0 in Cain's last seven road starts in Colorado.
Saturday's MLB American League Betting Cheat Sheet
By Covers.com
Toronto Blue Jays at Baltimore Orioles (-117, 9)
Hot pitching stat: Under is 5-2 in Drew Hutchison's last seven starts for Toronto.
Cold batting stat: Blue Jays outfielder Colby Rasmus is just 4-for-22 with six strikeouts lifetime versus Norris.
Weather: Another cool affair on the East coast with weather hovering between the high fifties and low sixties.
Key betting note: Over is 4-0 in games following a Blue Jays win.
Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees (-109, 8.5)
Cold pitching stat: Boston are 3-8 in John Lackey's last 11 games as an underdog.
Cold batting stat: Red Sox are 1-4 in their last five games against right handed starters.
Weather: Partly cloudy with a low wind of just 6 MPH.
Key betting note:The under is 4-1 in Kuroda's last five starts against the rival Red Sox, Kuroda also has a record of 7-1 at home when the total is set between 7.0-8.5. Kuroda is also boasting an 8-0 record on Saturday's as a starter.
Houston Astros at Texas Rangers (-159, 9.5)
Cold pitching stat: Jared Cosart struggled in his second start of the season, allowing a career high five runs.
Hot batting stat: Rangers Adrian Beltre welcomed Cosart to the big leagues in his first matchup with the Astros pitcher, taking him yard. Beltre has two hits in three at bats against the newcomer.
Weather: High winds at 17 mph.
Key betting note: Astros are 5-1 in their last six as road underdogs of +110 to +150
Kansas City Royals at Minnesota Twins (133, 7.5)
Hot pitching stat: Jake Shields is 9-0 as a road favorite in his last nine starts with the Royals.
Cold batting stat: Twins star Joe Mauer is just .227 lifetime against Shields.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the low 60's.
Key betting note: Kansas City are 7-1 in their last eight meetings against their division rivals.
Cleveland Indians at Chicago White Sox (113, 8)
Hot pitching stat: Cleveland are 8-1 in Justin Masterson's last nine starts as a road favorite.
Hot batting stat: Chicago have had a high powered offense through their first 11 games of the season, the White Sox are averaging 6.36 runs per game with the Over going 8-3 as well.
Weather: Calm winds and cool weather at 57 degrees.
Key betting note: Masterson has six wins in a row against the White Sox as a starter and 5-0 in road starts.
Oakland Athletics at Seattle Mariners (108, 7.5)
Hot pitching stat: Oakland are 6-2 in Sonny Gray's last eight starts.
Cold batting stat: Mariners are 2-7 in their last nine home games against right handed starters.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-50s with partly cloudy skies and wind blowing in at 8 mph.
Key betting note: Over is on a seven game streak in meetings between Oakland and the Mariners in Seattle.
Interleague
Tampa Bay Rays at Cincinnati Reds (119, 7.5)
Hot pitching stat: Rays' starter Cobb has four straight wins coming off a quality start.
Hot batting stat: Evan Longoria is sixth in the AL in batting average with a .356 mark.
Weather: Weather information is currently unavailable.
Key betting note: Under is 10-3 in the Rays last 13 interleague games.
Detroit Tigers at San Diego Padres (134, 6.5)
Hot pitching stat: Tigers are 20-6 in Verlander's 26 interleague starts.
Cold batting stat: Under is 5-1 in the Tigers last six interleague games.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-60s.
Key betting note: Tigers are 3-12 in Verlander's last 15 starts.
New York Mets at Los Angeles Angels (-171, 7.5)
Hot pitching stat: Angels are 8-1 in ace Jared Weaver's last nine interleague starts.
Hot batting stat: Curtis Granderson will be hoping to rely on his American League experience against Weaver as the outfielder has three home runs against the Angels starter.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-60s.
Key betting note: Angels are 44-15 in Weaver's 59 games as a home favorite.
Saturday MLB Picks
By: Micah Roberts
Sportingnews.com
LAS VEGAS -- You have to love the way the Astros battled last night at Arlington, TX in a 1-0, 12-inning loss to the Rangers where Yu Darvish allowed only one hit through eight innings. The Astros (4-7) could only muster one more hit off of four different Texas relievers, but the Astros' pitching did a nice job of scattering eight hits and nine walks through 11.2 innings and stranding 16 Rangers on base.
In tonight's matchup we have Tanner Scheppers (0-1, 9.00 ERA) making his third start of the season for Texas (5-5) -- and of his career -- after 115 appearances as a reliever. He's a -160 favorite over the Astros' Jarred Cosart (1-1, 4.09), who has had two decent outings thus far -- beating the Yankees and losing to the Angels. But it was Cosart's 10 starts (1-1, 1.95) in the second half of last season that made him a pitcher to keep an eye on, especially if the price is overinflated, like it is today.
The 20 cents of additional juice on this game from what we think it should be is simply because the Astros don't beat the Rangers. Houston has gone 7-37 in their last 44 meetings and look to avoid their 13th straight loss in the Lone Star series, eight of which have come at Arlington.
With trends like that, there is no way the sports book can post what the price should be because it will be all one-sided action, so in order to tempt anyone to mess around with Houston on their bets, it's got to be a juicier number. And while the parlay bettors are going to jump all over Texas because of the streak no matter how high the price is, at some point sharp money is likely to jump in and take the value, especially with a fine young pitcher like Cosart going tonight.
The thing about the Rangers this season is that they haven't been their typical self slugging the ball (.358 SLG percentage) and have hit only four home runs, which ranks 29th in baseball. Prince Fielder is hitting .150 with no home runs and their best hitter, Adrian Beltre, is likely to be out again with a quad strain.
The Rangers' relief pitching hasn't exactly shined either, allowing 20 earned runs in 33 innings for a 5.45 ERA (25th among all bullpens), a number that was bettered considerably last night.
If it was Darvish pitching, there would be no interest, but Scheppers (0-1, 5.00 ERA) is an entirely different story. It may seem stupid to bet on something that never happens, but the bait has been laid by the books with a hefty price, and we're biting.
Saturday selections:
Astros (Cosart) +150 at Rangers
Dodgers (Greinke) -118 at Diamondbacks
Mariners (Ramirez) +120 vs. A's