This Week's Best MLB Trends
Covers.com
Hot team: Seattle Mariners
Last week: 5-1
Season record: 58-64
Upcoming schedule: vs. Indians, at White Sox
Skinny: Felix Hernandez’s perfect game against the Rays on Wednesday helped lead the Mariners to a 5-1 record last week. Seattle took two of three from Tampa and then completed a three-game sweep of the Twins. The Mariners welcome the ice-cold Indians next.
Cold team: Cleveland Indians
Last week: 1-5
Season record: 54-67
Upcoming schedule: at Mariners, vs. Yankees
Skinny: The Indians dropped two of three to the Angels and suffered a three-game sweep at the hands of the A’s last week. Cleveland has just four wins in its last 22 contests heading into a three-game series with Seattle on Monday.
Over team: Chicago Cubs
Last week: 7-0
Season O/U record: 56-60-4
Upcoming schedule: at Brewers, vs. Rockies
Skinny: The Cubs went over the total in all seven games last week. Chicago batters drove in at least seven runs in each of the team’s three victories, but a four-game set against the high-powered Cincinnati Reds really helped lift the Cubs over the total for bettors.
Under team: Atlanta Braves
Last week: 7-0
Season O/U record: 53-63-5
Upcoming schedule: at Nationals, at Giants
Skinny: Bettors who love the under have been riding the Braves all season long. Atlanta pitchers were lights out again last week, hurling two shutouts and holding Padres hitters to just five runs total in the four-game set.
MLB Hot and Not
By Mike Rose
VegasInsider.com
The divisional and wild card races have really started to heat up on the diamond across the country! Here's a look at what some of the best and worst teams did for their betting backer's bottom line over the course of the last week.
Money-Makers
Kansas City Royals (5-1, $479): Evidently, the Royals are of the belief that the regular season does not start until after the All-Star break. For the second straight year, manager Ned Yost's squad has looked all the part of a playoff contender having won 12 of their 18 games played in the month of August which has been good for a $940 overall return on $100 investment per game. Unfortunately, the Royals have no shot of qualifying for the second season being 11-games out in the division and 12 1/2-games out in the wild card chase, but look for them to continue taking pleasure in playing the role of spoiler!
On The Docket: Kansas City kicks off this week in Tampa Bay where it'll oppose the surging Rays before heading to Beantown to battle the mentally exhausted Red Sox. Billy Butler and his mates are 12-3 their L/15 on the road as underdogs in the +150 to +175 range and sit just two-games under .500 versus the AL East (14-16) in 2012.
Seattle Mariners (5-1, $457): What a heck of a week for the Mariners! On top of Felix Hernandez tossing the franchise's first ever perfecto, Seattle took to its home field and snagged two of three from what was a red hot Tampa Bay outfit before busting out the brooms on the Twinkies. Since trading Ichiro Suzuki a week before the trade deadline, the M's have won 16 of their 25 overall games played and have made their wagering supporters a cool $550 worth of profit in the month of August. This club looks to be playing with purpose right now even though they have no shot at the playoffs; ride the momentum!
On The Docket: Seattle will look to claw above the .500 mark as a host against the Cleveland Indians before hitting the road to take on the quickly fading White Sox; it's done its best work versus the AL Central to date winning 19 of 31 overall!
Los Angeles Dodgers (5-2, $355): Melky Cabrera getting caught for taking a banned substance only improved the Dodgers chances of winning the NL West in the long run. However, the team's current play leads us to believe that L.A. is the team to beat in the NL West, and there's no reason to believe the Dodgers don't have enough in the cupboard to make a serious run at another World Series pennant. With the hitting now back on track paired with the solid 1-2 punch of the starting rotation and bullpen, we'd be shocked if manager Don Mattingly's squad failed to reach the second season. Hit those future odds up now before the value's all dried up!
On The Docket: There's no rest for Los Angeles who returns home from a successful 10-game roady to face the San Francisco Giants in a crucial three-game set before hoping to not overlook Miami. LA's won 11 of 17 in August ($340) and has played to a 44-32 ($1090) tally the L/3 years in the eighth month of the year.
Honorable Mentions: Tampa Bay Rays (5-2, $344), Baltimore Orioles (4-2, $327), Colorado Rockies (5-2, $312), New York Yankees (5-2, $292), Arizona Diamondbacks (4-2, $222), Oakland A's (4-2, $180), Cincinnati Reds (5-2, $178), Washington Nationals (4-2, $169)
Money-Burners
Los Angeles Angels (2-5, -$528): The Halos were at it again last week! After costing their backers a hefty $562 last week after dropping both series to division rivals Seattle and Oakland, manager Mike Scioscia's squad managed to take just two of three from a Cleveland team that seems to have given up on the season before shockingly getting swept at home in four straight by Tampa Bay. This club's managed just five wins this month and has lost ground in both the divisional and wild card races because of it. If they mirror the results of the last two weeks over the next six games, you might just be able to put a fork in Pujols and company!
On The Docket: Now a combined 32-37 versus the AL Central and East this season, the Angels will attempt to turn their season around on the road in Detroit and Boston. Disappointingly, the Halos check in just 29-31 (-$559) away from the "Big A."
Chicago White Sox (3-4, -$217): Does anyone want to win the AL Central? Chicago looked to have at least five wins giftwrapped for them heading into last week with four scheduled to go in Toronto and three in Kansas City. While manager Robin Ventura's squad took care of business north of the border winning their first series at Toronto since 2006, they went on to get swept at Kauffman Stadium and failed to take advantage of the Tigers dropping two of three at home to the Orioles. As it is, the Palehose own a slim 1 1/2-game lead in the AL Central in a race that looks like it will end up going down to the wire.
On The Docket: The remainder of Chicago's schedule for the month of August looks real tough. They got the Yankees and red hot Mariners at home this week, but then they have to travel to Baltimore and Detroit after that; not good!
Detroit Tigers (3-3, -$187): Without a doubt, the Tigers have been the most bothersome team for MLB bettors to try and decipher all season long. Just when you think this club has turned it around, they go out and lose in an even more perplexing fashion. Case in point - Detroit burst out to a 5-0 lead in its series finale with the O's on Sunday, but then got outscored 7-0 the rest of the way to once again fall as hefty home chalk. This club hasn't posted a series win against a plus-.500 opponent since sweeping the White Sox at home back in late July! That in my opinion speaks volumes about this team and its playoff future.
On The Docket: Manager Jimmy Leyland's squad will attempt to turn their fortunes around against the Blue Jays before turning their attention to the also struggling Angels. Detroit's a bankroll depleting 1-4 (-$462) in its L/5 home games and -$345 as a host for the season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Houston Astros (1-5, -$385), Milwaukee Brewers (2-5, -$372), Minnesota Twins (1-5, -$369), Cleveland Indians (1-5, -$325), Toronto Blue Jays (2-5, -$232), San Diego Padres (2-5, -$213), Boston Red Sox (2-4, -$199), St. Louis Cardinals (3-3, -$147), New York Mets (2-4, -$135)