Milwaukee Brewers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates 4/21

April 20th, 2010 admin

The Milwaukee Brewers are facing Zach Duke and the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday. For Pittsburgh, the game probably isn’t too exciting, as they are going to be up against Yovani Gallardo. Gallardo is Milwaukee’s ace and one of the best pitchers in baseball. Duke is a decent pitcher, but he can’t compete with Gallardo. The offensive side of things is as clear as the pitching. The Brewers hold the clear advantage, though Pittsburgh has had some explosive games this season. Milwaukee has Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun, two of the best hitters in Major League Baseball. Both players are power hitters and both players know how to get on base. Duke is going to have his hands full on Wednesday, that much is certain.

Duke has pitched better than anticipated in 2010, while Gallardo has not lived up to expectations. The season is early, however, and it is only a matter of time before Gallardo settles down. Wednesday might be a great way for him to re-align his 2010 campaign, as he holds a life time ERA under 3 against the Pirates. Duke, unlike Gallardo, has traditionally struggled against his opponent for Wednesday, maintaining a career 5.38 ERA against the Brewers.

The bats may very well be the difference in this game. Duke is off to something special in 2010, but even the best pitchers can get crushed by the Brewers deadly lineup. Milwaukee is the favorite on Wednesday, as most would expect. The line is quite fair, actually, at -135 in favor of the Brewers. Betting on the Brewers should be a very safe bet that is not too costly. Unless Gallardo falls apart or Milwaukee’s hitters can’t hit Duke, this should be an easy win for the Brewers.

Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves 4/21

April 20th, 2010 admin

The Phillies have been losing as of late and are completely out of character. The Braves have Tim Hudson going and they hope that he will extend the losing streak for Philadelphia. The Phillies, however, are battling back with Roy Halladay. Halladay has been absolutely unstoppable in 2010, just as he has been for many years. It is unlikely that the Braves are going to break Halladay’s code on Wednesday. The Phillies can beat up on Hudson, they have unending weapons, but they need to get back into a groove. Philadelphia puts up big innings, but they can be very streaky.
The Phillies lost in extra innings on Tuesday against the Braves, despite a phenomenal showing by the inconsistent Kyle Kendrick. Philadelphia was a heavy underdog, an abnormality in itself, but they are usually the team making a comeback, not blowing a game. This loss was surely a major frustration, especially after the losses that lead up to it. It is early in the season, though, and there is plenty of time to make up for it. If the bullpen continues to squander games for the Phillies, they are probably going to see their daily lines being shaken up.

With all of the losses considered, the Phillies should be a heavy favorite on Wednesday. They are the favorite on the moneyline, but they aren’t being given as much credit as they should be. Normally, the moneyline would be the best play in this game, as Halladay can tame any offense, but not today. Since the Phillies are trying to get their offense back on track, runs are far from a certainty. Taking favorites is not usually advised, but at -145 on the moneyline, the Philadelphia Phillies are a good bet to beat the Atlanta Braves.

San Francisco Giants vs. San Diego Padres 4/21

April 20th, 2010 admin

The last time Todd Wellemeyer started for the San Francisco Giants, he got blown up by the Los Angeles Dodgers. While one bad game against the Dodgers is excusable (they don’t exactly have a weak offense), Wellemeyer can’t make an excuse for his past seasons. He has never been good, and it is doubtful that he is ever going to be a good starter. It is actually surprising that Wellemeyer was not sent down to the minor leagues after his most recent performance. The Giants don’t have many other options at this time, so Wellemeyer lives to see another day when he faces the Padres on Wednesday.

Wellemeyer has an ERA that is approaching 10, but his opponent, Jon Garland, is off to a strong start in 2010. Now, Garland used to be ace, and his reliability is still a question. It seems like Garland is giving it his all in an attempt to rejuvenate his career, so for that he needs to be given some credit. All things considered, this game can be very high scoring. Neither team has a pitcher who is likely to put on a Cy Young performance, and both San Diego and San Francisco have lively bats.

The best bet in this game is definitely the over/under. At only 8, the over/under seems quite low. A lot of people are going to say, “Yea, but that is because they are playing in Petco Park, a massive field.” While this is true, there are few ballparks that can make Todd Wellemeyer look like a good pitcher. He does get a lot of fly ball outs, so he has that going for him, but even Petco Park is too small to keep some of the bombs that he gives up in play. Between these two offenses and the starting pitchers, it should be pretty easy to top 8 runs in this game.

New York Yankees vs. Oakland Athletics 4/20

April 19th, 2010 admin

Javier Vazquez was lights out for the Atlanta Braves in 2009, posting a 2.87 ERA for the season in 32 games. 2010, however, has been rough for Vazquez. In his return to the New York Yankees, Vazquez has disappointed. He is working with an ERA that approaches 10, and has yet to come up with a win. A lot was expected of Vazquez this year, if only because of his phenomenal 2009. On Tuesday he will get another chance to redeem himself and prove the doubters wrong when he faces the Oakland Athletics. The Athletics have been one of the early surprises of 2010, as they have a 9-5 record going into Tuesdays game against the Yankees.

Many bettors are still passing up on Oakland, despite their impressive start. The Athletics are starting Gio Gonzalez. Gonzalez has bounced around a number of teams over the past few years, but seems to have settled into his role on the A’s. His ERA was nothing special in 2009 (5.75 over 17 games started), but he might be turning a corner in 2010. In the early season, Gio has a solid 3.38 ERA. He hopes to keep his ERA below 4 after he faces a tough Yankee lineup on Tuesday. New York’s offensive prowess is well documented, with players like Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and Robinson Cano pounding anyone who they face. Oakland, too, has been able to hold their own against the opposition’s pitching. Catcher Kurt Suzuki works with a number of role players to put together one solid performance after another. Oakland’s players know how to hit, and they won’t be an easy task for Vazquez.

The best bet in this game is the Oakland moneyline at +150. Aside from Vazquez’s issues in 2010, the Athletics have been very productive. Even if Javier Vazquez does show up on Tuesday, a good game from Gonzalez could keep them in the game. At +150, there is a lot of money to be made by betting on the A’s in this game.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers 4/20

April 19th, 2010 admin

The Thunder made an impressive comeback in game one of their series against the Lakers, but were unable to come up with a win. In all likelihood, they are going to suffer the same fate on Tuesday. Is it impossible for OKC and Kevin Durant to come up with a win? Definitely not. In fact, if there was a single game that OKC was likely to win, it would be this one. With that said, it is tough to bet against the Lakers. They have many more weapons than OKC, even if Durant has Westbrook to work with. There are many different bets that are tempting in this game, though the focus should be on the spread.

Kobe and his crew have been there before. You know that he knows how to win, while the Thunder are getting their first playoff experience. Oklahoma City calmed down after a rough start, so maybe their nerves have calmed down enough for them to aim for a win. Beating the Lakers is never easy, but Durant can take over a game by himself. This is a game that, at the surface, is tough to bet, but really provides two primary options.

The moneyline sits at -290 for the Lakers, and +245 for the Thunder. If you are feeling really comfortable with the Thunder’s chances, bet on the moneyline. If, however, you think that the Lakers will once away come away with the win, bet on the spread at 6.5 Even if the game comes down to the wire, the Lakers should be able to put it away with some clutch free throws. A 3 point victory could easily balloon to a 7 point win with some fouls as the game ends. The safest bet in this game is the Lakers at -6.5, but perhaps the most profitable bet is the Thunder at +245 on the moneyline.

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