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May 18th MLB news ... Welcome to Baseball betting sites, the informational site with the baseball bettor in mind.
Welcome to baseballbettingsites.com, the informational site with the baseball bettor in mind.
In order to score big on the game of baseball, the bettor must be as up to date with all of the key stats and trends. By logging on daily, the baseball bettor will find all of the pertinent information to successfully handicap the game of baseball.
Latest MLB News
World Series Game 5 Betting Preview
2010-11-01
Sportsbook.com World Series Game 5 Betting Lines: Texas -174, San Francisco +164 Total: 6.5
Once again, Texas calls on Cliff Lee (12-9, 3.18 ERA) to come up big as the Rangers try to rally from a 3-1 deficit and send the series back to San Francisco. Tim Lincecum (16-10, 3.43 ERA) goes for the Giants in a rematch of Game 1’s wild 11-7 San Francisco victory. The World Series betting crowd at Sportsbook.com is expecting a Game 6 as 88 percent of the cash is on the Rangers.
Game 1 was certainly a start to forget for Lee, who allowed seven runs (six earned) on eight hits over 4.2 innings. It was only the second time in 2010 that Lee failed to make it out of the fifth inning. With the loss, Lee’s postseason ERA worsened to 2.51. The start was an anomaly on multiple levels as Lee came into the game with a 7-0 lifetime postseason record and was 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA in his career against San Francisco. Monday will be his first start at home this postseason. Lee went 3-2 with a 2.92 ERA at Rangers Ballpark this year.
The series opener was also the worst start of the playoffs for Lincecum, who gave up four runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings of work. The right-hander is now 3-1 with a 2.79 ERA this postseason. San Francisco has won five on his past six starts and eight of his past 10. Lincecum will make his third road start this postseason on Monday and that may be a good thing for San Francisco as he was better on the road during the regular season, posting a 7-3 record and a 3.17 ERA, as opposed to 9-7 and a 3.69 ERA at AT&T Field.
These baseball betting trends uncovered at Sportsbook.com points towards a Giants’ win tonight:
SAN FRANCISCO is 42-20 (+22.0 Units) against the money line after batting .250 or worse over a 20 game span this season. The average score was SAN FRANCISCO 4.6, OPPONENT 2.8 - (Rating = 3*).
SAN FRANCISCO is 45-20 (+26.3 Units) against the money line with an on base percentage of .310 or worse over their last 20 games this season. The average score was SAN FRANCISCO 4.5, OPPONENT 2.7 - (Rating = 3*).
For more World Series betting odds, head over to Sportsbook.com now.
Houston Texans vs. Indianapolis Colts Betting Odds and Preview
Monday Night Football Betting Odds: Indianapolis -5.5, Total: 51.5
The Texans travel to Indianapolis in search of their first-ever series sweep of the Colts. Both teams are banged up, but the Colts are in much worse shape with TE Dallas Clark on injured reserve (wrist), WR Austin Collie out (hand) and RB Joseph Addai doubtful (shoulder) for Monday night. A few other key offensive players are hurt as well, including WRs Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon and RB Donald Brown who all have hamstring woes, but will all suit up Monday.
Despite all of the Colts’ injuries, Sportsbook.com bettors are confident that they will cover the point spread as 62 percent of the cash is on Indy.
The Texans also have some injuries to key players such as WR Andre Johnson (ankle) and TE Owen Daniels (knee), but both are expected to play close to 100 percent Monday night.
This game promises to be a shootout with two of the top four offenses in the league. Entering this week, Indianapolis ranked second to the Chargers with 409 YPG and the Texans placed fourth with 380 YPG. On the defensive side of the ball, Houston places dead last in the league in yardage (411 YPG) while Indy sat 21st with 344 YPG allowed. No wonder 68 percent of the football betting crowd is pounding the ‘over’.
Both quarterbacks have a long history of playing each other. Peyton Manning’s numbers against Houston are simply jaw-dropping. In 17 career meetings, Manning has thrown for 4,854 yards (286 YPG), 40 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. Texans QB Matt Schaub has not been successful facing the Colts with just five touchdowns and seven interceptions in four career meetings.
The Colts are 15-2 SU in 17 all-time meetings in the series, including a perfect 8-0 home record. But these NFL betting trends lean towards a Houston covering the point spread tonight.
Play On - Road teams (HOUSTON) - with a horrible scoring defense - allowing 27 or more points/game, after allowing 25 points or more in 2 straight games. (34-9 over the last 5 seasons.) (79.1%, +24.1 units. Rating = 3*).
Play On - Road teams (HOUSTON) - slow starting team - outscored by 5+ PPG in the first half, after scoring 7 points or less in the first half in 2 straight games. (63-25 over the last 10 seasons.) (71.6%, +35.5 units. Rating = 3*).
For the rest of tonight’s Houston Texans vs. Indianapolis Colts betting odds, head over to Sportsbook.com now.
MLB: Betting info favors Rangers in key series opener2010-07-22The Rangers and Angels are separated by five games in the A.L. West Division standings heading into their 4-game series opener on Thursday night in Texas. The set is clearly more critical for the trailing Angels, as anything but a series win will leave them continuing to play catch-up for next near future. They will send ace Jered Weaver to the hill on Thursday night, but he is a hefty +155 underdog to Cliff Lee, according to Sportsbook.com. Let’s take a look at this key showdown.
Weaver probably isn’t as worried about squaring off with a fellow ace as he is having to pitch in Texas. He has had trouble regardless of who is pitching for the Rangers. His team will look to avoid losing their seventh straight game started by Weaver at Texas on Thursday night. The right-hander has a 6.17 ERA during that stretch, surrendering seven runs in two of his last three outings.
This four-game series gives three-time reigning division champion Los Angeles (51-46) a chance to cut into Texas' five-game lead.
"It's huge," Weaver (9-5, 3.16 ERA) told the Angels' official website. "We've been sitting four, five games back for a while now. ... When you're playing those guys, you pick up a game or lose one. Simple as that."
Lee, meanwhile, has won four straight starts versus the Angels, posting a 1.91 ERA, and is 6-3 with a 3.18 ERA in nine outings against them all-time.
Lee is facing an Angels team that is hitting .329 while averaging 5.8 runs over its last six games. Los Angeles had 15 hits against New York on Wednesday, but still lost 10-6.
Today’s top StatFox betting system favors the host Rangers at -165:
• Play On - All favorites with a money line of -150 or more (TEXAS) - allowing 4.7 or less runs/game on the season (AL) against opponent starting a pitcher who did not walk a hitter last outing. (102-29 over the last 5 seasons.) (77.9%, +52.3 units. Rating = 3*)
There is also good reason to believe that the offenses will take center stage, rather than the pitchers:
• Play Over - All teams where the total is 8 to 8.5 (TEXAS) - with a starting pitcher whose WHIP is 1.100 or better on the season-AL, with a rested bullpen - threw <= 2 innings in each of the last 2 games. (43-12 over the last 5 seasons.) (78.2%, +30.4 units. Rating = 4*)
Texas has been solid the last couple of years against its toughest opposing pitchers, going 15-4 (+13.6 Units) against the money line vs. an AL starting pitcher whose WHIP is 1.100 or better over the last 2 seasons. The average score was TEXAS 5.3, OPPONENT 4.0 - (Rating = 2*). On top of that, Cliff Lee is on a 15-2 (+11.7 units) surge as a home favorite of -150 to -175. Of course, that has come with four different teams.
Perhaps the only blemish on the Rangers scorecard heading into tonight’s key game is that they are just 3-7 at home this month.
The Angels took two of three from Texas the last time these teams met at the end of June.
The StatFox Power Line indicates the Rangers hold value all the way up to -176. First pitch is scheduled for 8:05 PM ET from Arlington.
MLB: Stephen Strasburg era begins in Washington2010-06-08The anticipation is nearly over. The 21-year-old with the fastball that reaches 100 mph and the curve that freezes batters is about to take the mound in the nation’s capital. Stephen Strasburg is set to make his Washington Nationals debut Tuesday night. Bettors have reacted, or should we say overreacted accordingly, betting the Nationals up to -210 after the line opened at -165 at Sportsbook.com.
Standing room only tickets went on sale Monday, all part of a rare Nationals Park sellout. The Internet is humming with offers for good seats. More than 200 requests for media credentials have been submitted, forcing officials to turn a dining area into a work space to accommodate all those reporters with laptops.
For the Nationals (27-31, +6.7 units), Strasburg’s major league debut is best summed up in one word.
Finally.
No one’s seen anything like it. A No. 1 overall pick who gets sellout, rock-star, hire-extra-security treatment in minor league cities such as Harrisburg and Rochester. It’s the type of overexposure usually reserved for top picks in the NFL or NBA.
The Nationals are actually having a decent year following back-to-back 100-losses seasons but are coming off a pair of losses to Cincinnati. They are 18-11 after a loss this season. However, everything they’ve done has been overshadowed by talk about a player who didn’t have a locker in the clubhouse, whose debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates (23-34, +2) has been given its own baseball holiday nickname: “Strasmas.”
“I feel like I’ve been ready,” Strasburg said after his last minor league outing, five scoreless innings for Triple-A Syracuse at Buffalo last week. There’s not much argument there. It was almost cruel to watch Strasburg overwhelm hitters in Double-A and Triple-A. His combined stats: 7-2 with a 1.30 ERA with 65 strikeouts and only 13 walks in 55 1-3 innings.
But money trumped wins, at least this year. Having already invested heavily in the right-hander from San Diego State with a record $15.1 million contract over four years, the Nationals wanted to save some dough down the road by calling Strasburg up after June 1, thus delaying by one year the eventual date when he will be eligible for arbitration.
Strasburg is also looking forward to normalcy because he’s not a limelight guy. Still, the toned-down persona hasn’t stopped the hype machine. Want to bet on how Strasburg’s going to do Tuesday? There are odds on whether his first pitch will be a ball or strike, how many innings he’ll last and nearly everything else in between. Sports bettors have this as one-sided affair, as Washington opened as -165 money line favorites and they have been bet all the way up to -210.
Nationals Park has been sold out only once so far this season—on opening day—but the thought that Strasburg might pitch drew the season’s second biggest crowd Friday against Cincinnati. Strasburg’s thoughts about it all? Pretty straightforward.
“It’s my major league debut. What more can you say?” he said. “It’s something I’ve dreamed about my entire life, and now it’s starting to become a reality.”
At least Strasburg won’t have to wait long for the next phenom to come along. Baseball’s draft was held Monday, and the Nationals again held the No. 1 overall pick. As expected, Washington selected Bryce Harper, a junior college slugger who’s had about as much hype as Strasburg.
The Nationals have a great deal of baggage to overcome, with a 15-25 record as a home favorite of -110 or higher and though the anticipation had one more day to build, Washington is 4-22 playing with a day off over the last two seasons.
Sportsbook.com has the total at Un8.5 and that’s a hard prediction given the circumstances, nevertheless the Nats are is 13-3 UNDER after two straight games with one or less extra base hits, while Pittsburgh is 36-21 OVER in road games after a loss by four runs or more. The Pirates offense continues to struggle and they are 12-42 away from home after batting .250 or worse over a 20-game span over the last two years.
The buzz in the ballyard will be fun in Washington for a change and Bucs starter Jeff Karstens (1-1, 4.50) has to keep his emotions in check to give his club a chance to win. MLB.TV will broadcast the game 7:05 Eastern and ESPN will be covering this event in the afternoon before the telecast as only they can.
The StatFox Power Line shows Washington -157
MLB: Last two teams play their season opener2010-04-06Two teams have yet to make their debut for the 2010 campaign and they will take care of that business today on Florida’s west coast. Baltimore and Tampa Bay christen their seasons with in an AL East matchup, where every game counts in a division top heavy with the Yankees and Red Sox. Tampa is a heavy favorite at Sportsbook.com. See the latest price on the LIVE ODDS page and get the key stats and trends for this and all of Tuesday’s games on GAME MATCHUPS page.
After years of floundering, the Orioles have stopped their free spending ways on free agents who never quite fit and who never helped Baltimore actually win.
Instead, with team president Andy McPhail calling the shots, the Orioles are putting their cash into player development and its paying off. The outfield is oozing with talented youngsters like Adam Jones and Nick Markakis. Felix Pie is still he still is just 25-years old, with major league experience, having made the roster hitting the ball, his biggest weakness.
Orioles’ fans are also excited about the future with three young pitchers, Brian Matusz, Brad Bergesen and Chris Tillman, all seemingly destined for long big league careers. For now, veteran Kevin Millwood will be the leader of the pitching staff with his vast experience and he will be the opening game starter after 13-10 season with a 3.67 ERA in 31 starts in Texas. Millwood is 2-2 vs. Tampa Bay with an ERA of 6.16.
The Rays returned to earth after 97 win season and World Series appearance in 2008, but still managed a winning record.
Tampa Bay’s offense is led by Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria, but if they are going to contend in the division, Carlos Pena and B.J. Upton are going to have to be more a factor.
Pena did hit 39 home runs and drove in 100; however the team needs more bases hits after his batting average slipped again, down to .227 in 2009.
When Upton was first drafted by Tampa Bay, attitude was one of the warning signs related to him and last year it was on display batting just .241 and having more than a couple pouting sessions. Still just 25, Upton has to start approaching his job like a major leaguer for a team that is 53-23 against the money line in home games against division opponents.
James Shields draws the Opening Day assignment for the Rays, his third straight as the “old man” of the starting pitchers at the ripe age of 28. Shields does not have overpowering stuff, but he frequently gets into the seventh inning or beyond working both sides of the plate with his fastball and has the best changeup in the American League that he will throw on any count.
Unlike the fans evidently, Shields loves Tropicana Field, where he is 25-14 with a 3.40 ERA. He doesn’t mind the birds on Baltimore’s cap either, posting 6-2 record with a 2.92 ERA in 15 career starts against the Orioles.
Sportsbook.com has Tampa Bay as -200 ML line favorite in their maiden voyage of 2010, with total Ov8.5. The Rays have been awesome in this spot, 52-14 as a home favorite of -150 to -200 over the last two years and they are 80-33 at the Trop against right-hand pitchers.
Baltimore has lost 14 of 18 at Tampa Bay and is unsightly 46-98 against AL East opponents since 2008. Millwood in his career is 13-3 UNDER as an underdog of +150 or more.
First pitch for both teams to start the season is at 7:10 Eastern with the Rays 57-26 at home in the first half of the season.
The StatFox Power Line shows Rays -143 and Over
MLB: National League Series Betting Preview2008-10-09Postseason baseball has changed dramatically over the last several years. In the past, normally the best team in each league would advance to the World Series and the favored team would win more often than not and only the occasional upset would occur. Presently, those days are more gone than the thought of one’s house increasing in value. In today’s modern playoff baseball it’s similar to most people’s outlook on life, “What have you done for me lately?”
The Los Angeles Dodgers took a calculated risk in trading for Manny Ramirez, hoping the talented, yet eccentric player could ignite a clubhouse that was as exciting as trip through a McDonald’s drive-thru. Ramirez proved to be the lightning rod, showing his teammates how to be a professional baseball player in terms of preparation, yet having fun and being just wacky enough he could fit right in at Venice Beach. The Dodgers so outplayed the Cubs, you would have thought they won 97 games during the regular season and are since September 6, are 22-8.
While the Chicago Cubs have spent a century not being a very good baseball team, the Philadelphia Phillies have not exactly been stuffing their trophy case with championship hardware. Since first becoming a big league franchise in 1883 (Chester Arthur was President) the Phillies went 97 years before being World Series champions in 1980 and the newest streak is up to a mere 27 years. Philadelphia was barely given credit for winning the NL East a year ago, winning it on the last day of the regular season thanks to the New York Mets collapse and being swept quickly in three games by Colorado. This season the Phillies had many peaks and valleys, yet at crunch time, they were tough. With the series win over Milwaukee, the Phils are on 16-4 run-out.
To win this series, Los Angeles needs to play to its tactical edges. With Rafael Furcal and Russell Martin on-base at the top of the lineup, Manny Ramirez creates fear as a RBI-machine. When Manny either gets a hit or is semi-intentionally walked, this gives James Loney and Andre Ethier a chance to finish off a big inning. The Dodgers bullpen has been as steady as Amy Winehouse, but reliever Jonathan Broxton as been anchor of late. After Cole Hamels, the Dodgers have the next three starters in the NLCS with starters Derek Lowe, Chad Billingsley and Hiroki Kuroda.
Having won 16 of 20, the Philadelphia offense receives a great deal of credit. The real secret to this winning stretch has been the pitching. In their last 20 games, the Phillies have allowed more than four runs just three times, keeping them in games the offense can win. Having home field advantage in the series, the Phils must show patience at the dish. The Dodgers and Philly bullpens have similar ERA’s at 3.34 and 3.21 respectively; however the Dodgers are nearly a full run higher on the road. Chase Utley and his teammates need to go deep into counts, piling up Dodgers pitch counts and takes hacks the L.A. bullpen.
StatFox Take – If good pitching stops good hitting, than the edge has to go to the Dodgers. Joe Torre can run out three starters all capable of winning each game and a case can be made in Lowe’s favor in the opener, being 40-20 vs. NL teams scoring 4.8 or more runs a game on the season. (Team’s Record) It’s difficult to gauge Dodgers mediocre road record on the season, as this is a different team. In order to win the series, Philadelphia is going to need two wins on the days Brett Myers and Jamie Moyer pitch and not sure that will happen. Home field has meant everything between these two teams, each sweeping a four game series this season. Slight edge to the Dodgers to advance.
Series odds from Sportbook.com: Dodgers -110, Phillies -110
Thursday October 9
L.A. Dodgers (Lowe) at Philadelphia (Hamels) 8:22 EDT
Friday October 10
L.A. Dodgers (Billingsley) at Philadelphia (Myers) 4:35 EDT
Saturday October 12
Philadelphia (Moyer) at L.A. Dodgers (Kuroda) 8:22 EDT
Sunday October 13
Philadelphia () at L.A. Dodgers () 8:22 EDT
Tuesday October 15
Philadelphia at L.A. Dodgers if necessary
Thursday October 17
L.A. Dodgers at Philadelphia if necessary
Friday October 18
L.A. Dodgers at Philadelphia if necessary
Offensive – National League
Runs scored Dodgers 13th Philadelphia 3rd
Home Runs Dodgers 13th Philadelphia 1st
Total Bases Dodgers 13th Philadelphia 3rd
Slugging Ptc. Dodgers 13th Philadelphia 2nd
Walks Dodgers 11th Philadelphia 5th
On base Ptc. Dodgers 6th Philadelphia 7th
Pitching & Defense
ERA Dodgers 1st Philadelphia 4th
Strikeouts Dodgers 5th Philadelphia 11th
Walks Dodgers 2nd Philadelphia 6th
On base Ptc. Dodgers 1st Philadelphia 6th
Putouts Dodgers 9th Philadelphia 7th
Errors Dodgers 10th Philadelphia 5th
