Florida Marlins vs. Houston Astros 4/20

April 19th, 2010 admin

The Marlins and the Astros meet in Houston Tuesday, but the Astros probably aren’t going to be too happy about playing in front of their home crowd. Houston couldn’t beat the female softball champions, let alone most of their Major League opponents. They have struggled mightily in 2010, and have been out shamed only by the Baltimore Orioles. Enough with the negative talk, though. Let’s move forward to Tuesday’s match up. Ok, more bad news. The Astros are set to face Chris Volstad. Volstad throws fire and will almost certainly own the entire Astros lineup (not like that is tough to do).

Facing Volstad is Brett Myers. Myers, recently departed from the Philadelphia Phillies, is looking to back up his impressive performance against the Cardinals last week. Don’t be surprised if Myers blows up, though, as he isn’t exactly known for his consistency. It wouldn’t surprise many people if he decided to let up seven runs in the first innings. With that said, he seems to be improved in 2010, and can be a force to contend with.

The offenses for these teams are very different. The Astros are like a AAA team, while the Marlins have some strong hitters. Powerful bats including Dan Uggla, Jorge Cantu, and Hanley Ramirez are always locked and loaded. The Astros, well, they are just locked. Volstad shouldn’t have much trouble shutting down the Astros, or he will have a lot less trouble than Myers will with the Marlins. Neither team is spectactular, but the Marlins are much better than the Astros in virtually every aspect imaginable. The Marlins are only at -115 on the moneyline, so even though Florida is a favorite, it isn’t by much. Take the Marlins in this game and feel very good about it.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Cincinnati Reds 4/20

April 19th, 2010 admin

The Los Angeles Dodgers have had a turbulent 2010 season, looking great at times, while looking terrible at others. They seem to put a beating on weak pitchers, but can’t make contact against strong pitchers. Now, you might think that this could be said for any team, but the Dodgers are different. They don’t hit strong starters, at all. It’s not like they post two or three runs, they flat out can’t hit. Luckily for the Dodgers, Cincinnati is starting Homer Bailey. Bailey has been an overrated prospect for almost four years now. He has never lived up to expectations, and there is no reason to think that this is going to change on Tuesday. Bailey’s ERA for 2010 is approaching 7, much like it has the past two seasons at various points in time.

The Dodgers are starting Chad Billingsley. Unlike Bailey, Billingsley has done his best to live up to all kinds of hype. For years, Billingsley was a top prospect in the Dodgers organization, and now he is setting into his role as a starter in the Los Angeles rotation. He hasn’t been phenomenal in ERA, in fact he has been mediocre at best, but he knows how to turn it around. He can post a stellar performance when he wants to. In the end, Billingsley is a much better pitcher than his opponent, Homer Bailey. Aside from all of this, Billingsley boasts a career 2.35 ERA vs. the Reds. Bailey, on the other hand, has an ERA over 5 against the Dodgers.

The best bet in this game is on the Dodgers moneyline. It is a bit high, sitting at -135, but it is not nearly as high as it should be. If the Dodgers manage to lose this game, it is either because Bailey puts on an amazing performance out of nowhere, or because Billingsley implodes. Take this bet at -135 every day of the week.

Chicago Bulls vs. Cleveland Cavaliers 4/19

April 19th, 2010 admin

The Chicago Bulls should have covered their +11.5 line in the first game of the playoffs, but came up just a few points short. If Chicago could have made a layup in junk time, they would have covered the line. As it turns out, they missed a few short shots that would have locked it up, and Bulls backers walked away disappointed. Today, the Bulls are +10.5 point dogs, one full point less than they were on Saturday. Perhaps odds makers think that Lebron will sit a little more in this game, or maybe the Bulls gained a new flock of bettors after their impressive comeback from a 22 point deficit on Saturday. Either way, the Bulls are still the play in this game.

The moneyline is very risky in this game, even though it is entirely possible that the Bulls manage to win two games in this series. +625 is very tempting, if only because you have to figure Chicago wins more than 30% of the time here. At the same time, however, the Bulls can’t stop Shaq or Lebron. Shaq can be maintained, but Lebron has been a mystery for years now. The Bulls thrived when Lebron went a few minutes without the ball, but as soon as he got some touches it was over. Beyond this, Chicago didn’t get enough open looks for sharp shooter Kirk Hinrich. They need some clutch threes if they want a legitimate shot at winning this game.

The Cavs are not the best team in the playoffs, that title goes to the Lakers, but they are too much to handle for the Chicago Bulls. With that said, Chicago is a solid bet in game two of the series. The moneyline is very volatile, but has some potential. If you are risk averse, it would be better to bet on the spread at +10.5 for Chicago. Of the two NBA games being played on April 19th, the Bulls are the best overall pick.

Kansas City Royals vs. Toronto Blue Jays 4/19

April 18th, 2010 admin

The Toronto Blue Jays got off to a very hot start in 2010, but they have begun to cool off. At 7-6, the Blue Jays are still holding onto a better record than most expected. On Monday they will start a new series against the Royals. Toronto just wrapped up a series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and are going to stay in Toronto for his series against Kansas City. It seems as though Toronto is better off on the road, for whatever reason. Kansas City hasn’t been a slouch this year, posting some impressive wins and keeping themselves in games where most figured that they didn’t have a shot. Many bettors have passed up Kansas City, but they are certainly worth a look. Part of their success was due to some great starting pitching from Brian Bannister. Bannister will have a shot to keep his ERA below 3 when he faces the Blue Jays on Monday.

Brandon Morrow is getting the start for the Jays. Morrow has struggled mightily in 2010, despite a decent season in 2009. His ERA is sitting at 12 and things have not been going well at all. If Morrow is unable to perform on Monday, it is certainly possible that he will get a ticket to Triple A. He is fighting for a roster spot on Monday when he faces the Royals, and the pressure is on.

Both teams have their fair share of offensive weapons, with Toronto’s Adam Lind being the biggest bat between the two teams. He has whacked a handful of home runs in 2010 after signing a big contract with the Jays in this past off season. Aside from Lind, this match up is void of any real superstars. Both teams have hitters that can put up runs, though, so don’t expect this to be a low scoring affair.

The best bet in this game is the 1st Five Innings bet, available at Sportsbook.The Royals are even money in this game on the money line, while Toronto is at -120. The problem with taking the money line is that Kansas City’s bullpen is below average at best. It would be terrible to see Bannister toss a great game only to see it was all for not when the Royals relievers come in the game. If you can lock up Kansas City at -120 or better on the 1st Five Innings bet, take it.

Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox 4/18

April 17th, 2010 admin

Tampa Bay is going for yet another win against the Red Sox on Sunday, and it would be their third in a row against Boston. Aside from continuing their winning streak against Boston, the Rays are also aiming for their sixth consecutive win overall, having taken a few from the Orioles prior to this series. The Rays and Red Sox were postponed on Friday night due to rain, and were forced to finish their game on Saturday as part of a double header. The Red Sox had an opportunity in extra innings to close out the game when they loaded the bases, but they blew their chance and ended up losing the game 3-1. Weak offensive production has been a running theme for Boston over the past couple of weeks. They are a bit banged up, with Victor Martinez at least, but losing a bat like David Ortiz can really deplete a lineup. They did, however, post five runs in their second game on Saturday, but were of course unable to come up with the win.

Sunday’s game is intriguing, if only because of the slide that the Red Sox are on. They can’t seem to buy a game, let alone legitimately compete for one. Sunday is not going to be an easy win by any means, as Boston will have to contend with Matt Garza. Garza has been a powerhouse ever since he moved over from the Twins to the Rays a few years ago. Opposing Garza is Jon Lester. A lot was expected from Lester in 2010, but he has not performed to the fullest of his ability. His ERA for 2010 is over 7, and he has yet to add a win to his record. It could be that Lester struggles early on, or perhaps he just isn’t on top of his game this year. Either way, his lackluster performances are a good reason to bet against him.

The offensive story is the same as it always is. Boston needs Dustin Pedroia, Jeremy Hermida and company to kick themselves into gear, because otherwise it will be a very long season. The Rays have had little trouble producing offense, and Tampa Bay’s studs, for the most part, have come to play. Bet on the money line in this game. If you read this article, you would think that Tampa Bay is the heavy favorite, but this is not the case. The Rays are actually +120 on the money line, so there is a great chance for profitability. If the Rays are indeed an underdog in this game, it certainly isn’t by much.

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