February 2012 MLB Events
Calendar of MLB Events for February 2012 brought to you by mlbhandicapping.com
MLB News
2010 World Series is here!!!
2010-10-28
The 2010 World Series has finally arrived! Yes, baseball fans, no matter which your favorite team is, this is a series that is always worth watching, because the 2 best teams during the whole season will do whatever it takes to win the yearned trophy and celebrate in a large parade across their city. This year we have a newcomer, Texas Rangers, and a team that has came close to winning the title 3 times: San Francisco Giants. Both teams come from giving 2 major upsets in their corresponding Championship series. The Rangers destroyed the reigning champions New York Yankees, beating them twice at their very own Yankee Stadium, with an impressive offensive display. On the other hand, the Giants made use of their precise pitching to beat the Philadelphia Phillies also playing away from home.
Talking about game 1 in this series, the Giants will have the home advantage, having had a better season result than their rivals. Therefore, the first game will take place at the AT&T Park in San Francisco. Still, the odds are quite in favor of the Rangers, mainly because of the impressive balance between powerful batting (they scored 18 runs in the Yankee stadium in their 2 victories there in the American League Championship Series), and the zen-like concentration of pitcher Cliff Lee. These odds are -127 for Texas and +117 for San Francisco. They might be right in a way, but let’s not forget that the Giants have an awesome pitcher in Tim Lincecum, 2 times Cy Young Award winner. They seem to be pretty even in the pitching department.
What could make the difference is the offense, and here naturally Texas could come out as favorite, given their monumental attacking work against none other than the Yankees. However, it seems to me that this series will be decided in 7 games, since both teams defend their home park very well. As to who will win, that is a very hard nut to crack… Both teams are equally motivated, they have very versatile players in all the departments, and the team cohesion is clear in both sides. I would say San Francisco has a slight advantage when it comes to their manager. Both Bruce Bochy (Giants) and Ron Washington (Rangers) have almost the same time as managers, but Bochy received the NL Manager of the Year award with the San Diego Padres. He also led this low-budget team to the National League pennant in 1998, losing to the Yankees in the World Series. So, Bochy already has World Series experience, Washington doesn’t. Will he be able to handle the pressure?
If I were to give a winner, I would say San Francisco will be 2010 World Champions. But that is not up to me to decide, is it?
MLB: Cubs just can’t beat bad teams
2010-07-20
The Chicago Cubs haven’t been kind to their finds or faithful bettors this season. With last night’s loss to the Houston Astros, the Cubs are now 10 games under .500. More importantly, the Cubs are down 21.4 betting units for the season. Sportsbook.com expects the Cubs to eat into that negative unit number a bit tonight as they are -240 home favorites versus the Astros.
Diehard Cubs' fan Jim Belushi once starred in a movie titled "Taking Care of Business". His team certainly hasn't done that, and bettors need look no further than trends for evidence of team’s performance tendencies and the following list from FoxSheets underscore the Cubs’ ineptitude this season:
• CHICAGO CUBS are 18-31 (-24.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season. The average score was CHICAGO CUBS 3.9, OPPONENT 4.6 - (Rating = 3*)
Think about that for a second, if Chicago is 13-games below .500 against teams with losing records, it means they are 3-games over .500 against winning clubs. If the Cubs had simply only played 25-24 baseball against the league’s lesser teams, they would be only 3-1/2 games out of the Central lead right now and in contention.
• CHICAGO CUBS are 8-18 (-19.1 Units) against the money line vs. an NL team with a team batting average of .245 or worse this season. The average score was CHICAGO CUBS 3.5, OPPONENT 4.3 - (Rating = 4*)
The Cubs are 19.1 units in the hole for bettors who have backed them against the league’s worst hitting clubs this season. Strangely, pitching isn’t the problem. As you can see, they are producing only 3.5 runs per game offensively themselves against these weak hitting foes. Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop there…
• CHICAGO CUBS are 17-29 (-23.6 Units) against the money line vs. a poor bullpen whose ERA is 4.50 or worse this season. The average score was CHICAGO CUBS 4.5, OPPONENT 5.1 - (Rating = 3*)
Typically, teams are able to mount come from behind rallies against poor bullpens. Such has not been the case for Chicago.
• CHICAGO CUBS are 15-28 (-22.6 Units) against the money line vs. poor power teams - averaging 0.9 or less HR's/game this season. The average score was CHICAGO CUBS 3.2, OPPONENT 4.0 - (Rating = 3*)
The Cubs are 13-games below .500 against teams that don’t hit a lot of home runs, returning a negative 52.5% on investment.
• CHICAGO CUBS are 7-22 (-25.2 Units) against the money line vs. NL teams scoring 4.3 or less runs/game on the season this season. The average score was CHICAGO CUBS 2.9, OPPONENT 4.4 - (Rating = 6*)
Perhaps the ugliest nugget of all, Chicago is not only allowing its run-starved opponents to outscore their normal averages, it’s own offense is producing just 2.9 runs per game on this trend. With an ROI of -86.9%, this trend gets a 6* rating from FoxSheets.
And finally…
• CHICAGO CUBS are 6-15 (-19.7 Units) against the money line as a favorite of -150 or more this season. The average score was CHICAGO CUBS 3.7, OPPONENT 4.9 - (Rating = 5*)
Chicago is 9-games under .500 when playing to its biggest chalk lines this season. Of course, this will be put to test tonight, as the Cubs are hefty -240 favorites at Sportsbook.com against the Astros behind Ryan Dempster. The Cubs are just 9-16 (-11.9 units) over the last two years in divisional play behind Dempster, and 15-26 overall versus Central Division rivals in 2010.
Meanwhile, the Astros boast a 21-16 divisional record this season, producing 11.9 units of profit. They will turn the ball over to Wesley Wright, who after 126 MLB relief appearances and a recent stint in Triple-A, makes his first career start.
Now that you know some of the key numbers for tonight’s game, head over to Sportsbook.com and place your bets. With some of the most generous dime lines the industry has to offer, it is no wonder that everybody bets on baseball at Sportsbook.com.
MLB Series Betting- Houston at St. Louis
2009-07-31
Coming into the season, the Houston Astros were among the more interesting teams in baseball. They had a veteran cast of players who had been involved in several pennant races and because of budget restrictions, general manager Ed Wade had to assemble a starting pitching staff by going thru the scrap heap. Oddsmakers weren’t impressed and hung 73.5 for a win total on Houston, however with roughly two months to go in the season; the Astros (51-51, +0.9 units) are hovering around .500 and within striking distance like they have been in the five years in the NL Central. Be sure to check the latest info for weekend series by visiting the LIVE ODDS, BETTING TRENDS, and TEAM STATISTICS pages.
Houston’s season has taken many twists and turns and presently they are in downward spiral, having lost five of six. They arrive in St. Louis (56-49, 0 units) to face a club that almost swept the best team in the National League, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in four games. The Cardinals pitching was fantastic against L.A., allowing six runs in 36 regulation innings and two runs in seven extra frames. Last night’s 10-inning loss to the Dodgers dropped the Cards out of first place for the moment. St. Louis enters the weekend having played the most games in the big leagues and manager Tony LaRussa has to be thrilled his club will be off Monday and Thursday next week, for a well deserved break.
Houston will trot out one its elder statesmen Brian Moehler (7-6, 5.16 ERA) in the series opener. The 37-year old right-hander became a starter again last season in Houston and had found a groove in allowing three earned runs or less in eight straight starts, before being roughed up by the New York Mets for five runs in his last turn. Moehler’s skill has been his ability to keep his team in the game and the Astros are 20-11 in night games when he pitches the last two years.
The Cardinals will come from the opposite direction, recalling rookie Mitchell Boggs (1-0, 3.22) from Triple-A Memphis. Boggs was up with St. Louis in April and part of May and started to struggle. He’s earned this promotion according to manager Tony La Russa, conceding one run in last 21 innings over three starts. “I think he’s pitched effectively down there,” La Russa told the team’s official Web site. Sportsbook.com has the St. Louis has -180 money line favorites in the opener, with the total Ov9. The Cards are 7-1 in recent Game 1’s and 12-3 as home favorites. Don’t give up completely on Houston, since they have won Moehler’s last five road starts and are 4-0 when he’s been listed as underdog.
Game 1 Edge: St. Louis
Both bullpens came into this series weary for different reasons. St. Louis had two extra inning games with the Dodgers and Houston’s was slapped around by the Cubs. The middle conflict of this NL Central showdown is likely to see the pens get some rest with two strong pitchers. Wandy Rodriguez (10-6, 2.65) has to be sad to see the calendar flip to August, after sensational July. In five starts, the left-hander was 4-0 (Astros 5-0) with microscopic 0.75 ERA. He’s among the better values as starter at +6.45 units.
The Cardinals will counter with their ace Chris Carpenter (9-3, 2.19). The New Hampshire native hasn’t always had his best stuff like last Monday on ESPN, but he steers clear of trouble, being able to find one of his assortment of pitches to take care of hitters. St. Louis is 21-7 in Carpenter’s Game 2 starts and 39-12 if he pitches at Busch Stadium.
Game 2 Edge: St. Louis
The Cardinals role as favorite in the last game of the series will be determined by who pitches for the ‘Stros. Roy Oswalt (6-4, 3.61) left Tuesday's game with a lower back strain and received a pain-killing injection on Wednesday. If he feels well enough, Oswalt will give it a go. If not, Bud Norris will make his first Major League starting appearance. Norris allowed one run in three innings in his debut Wednesday against the Cubs. Baseball America has the 24-year old as the second best prospect in the Houston organization. He has 92-96 MPH fastball and a plus-curveball.
The only thing Adam Wainwright (12-6, 2.80) needs is a saddle. The Redbirds workhorse has pitched a minimum of six innings in last 20 starts (seven innings or more in seven of last nine trips to mound) and has surpassed the 110-pitch count 10 times in 2009. Wainwright and the Cards are 8-2 versus the NL Central, yet is surprisingly 6-6 at home. This will be the only day game of the series, with St. Louis 20-19 and Houston 17-15.
Game 3 Edge: St. Louis
Houston swept the Cards earlier in July during one of its hot spells. The Astros have also been swept in St. Louis this season and have lost nine of last 11 contests near The Arch. Our guest cappers are 3-0 and Hurricane Bill of Playbook will try to keep the streak alive.
“A big weekend match-up finds a pair of NL Central contenders heading in opposite directions as the struggling Houston Astros, losers of 5 of their last 6, travel to St. Louis to take on Cardinal squad that is coming off a series win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. To make matters worse for the visitors is they arrive short-handed with main offensive weapon, Lance Berkman, on the DL and ace Roy Oswalt experiencing back stiffness and in danger of missing Sunday’s finale. The hosts, on the other hand, look to be firing on all cylinders as new additions Matt Holliday, Mark DeRosa and Julio Lugo are all making significant contributions. The Cards also have the luxury of having their big two, Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright, on the hill in this series and will be heavy favorites in all three games. Though we prefer to wager on dogs we cannot recommend a play on these bite-less ‘Stros. We’ll look for a St. Louie sweep, as they put another nail in Houston’s coffin.”
Sportsbook.com series odds: Houston +220, St. Louis -300
StatFox Edge Pick: St. Louis
MLB: Why can’t New York beat Boston?
2009-06-10
It’s the biggest rivalry in all of baseball, Boston and New York, but in 2009 the series has become one-sided. The Red Sox have dominated the Yankees this year, winning all six meetings between the teams, including Tuesday’s 7-0 decision in Fenway. Tonight, the teams will go at it again, with New York sending struggling Chien-Ming Wang to the hill to face Tim Wakefield. Not surprisingly, the Sox are a -130 favorite and most of the top betting info available favors them. Find much of it on today’s GAME MATCHUP.
One of the main reasons Boston has had success against New York this season is David Ortiz. In the midst of a brutal hitting year overall, Ortiz has found success against the Yankees, going 7 for 23 (.304) with a home run, seven RBIs and four runs scored in six games.
Ortiz hit a two-run homer in a 7-0 win in the series opener Tuesday night as the Red Sox improved to 6-0 against the Yankees franchise for the first time since 1912. They beat the New York Highlanders 14 consecutive times to open that season, including the first-ever game at Fenway Park.
The Yankees would likely feel better if they weren't limited to a season-low two hits while getting shut out for the first time Tuesday.
Making Yankees’ fans even more nervous for Wednesday’s game is the performance of starter Chien-Ming Wang so far in ‘09 (0-3, 14.46 ERA). However, Wang is 6-5 with a 4.82 ERA in his career against the Red Sox, and the Yankees have won five of his last six starts in the series.
Tim Wakefield (7-3, 4.50) will oppose Wang. The right-handed knuckleballer bounced back from one of his worst starts of the season by holding Detroit to three runs over 6 2-3 innings of a 6-3 road victory Thursday.
Wakefield is 4-0 with a 3.00 ERA in four starts at Fenway Park this year. He's 0-5 with a 7.56 ERA over his last seven home starts against the Yankees.
So besides Ortiz, what are some of the other reasons New York has struggled against Boston? Take a look at some of these top StatFox Matchup Power Trends that might reveal some reasons:
* NY YANKEES are 11-19 (-13.2 Units) against the money line vs. teams whose hitters draw 4 walks or more/game over the last 2 seasons. The average score was NY YANKEES 4.7, OPPONENT 6.3 - (Rating = 1*)
* NY YANKEES are 17-28 (-14.0 Units) against the money line in road games vs. a good bullpen whose ERA is 3.75 or better over the last 2 seasons. The average score was NY YANKEES 3.8, OPPONENT 5.0 - (Rating = 1*)
Basically what these angles are saying is that teams that draw walks are scoring well over 6 runs per game on New York, and against good bullpens, the Yankees aren’t able to produce the late rallies they’ve become well known for.
On the opposite side, the strengths of New York seem to fit Boston to a tee:
* BOSTON is 20-5 (+13.8 Units) against the money line vs. AL teams scoring 5.2 or more runs/game on the season this season. The average score was BOSTON 5.8, OPPONENT 3.5 - (Rating = 2*)
* BOSTON is 23-5 (+16.2 Units) against the money line in home games vs. excellent fielding teams - averaging <=0.5 errors/game over the last 2 seasons. The average score was BOSTON 6.3, OPPONENT 3.8 - (Rating = 2*)
New York has to hope it can get to Wakefield early tonight, and avoid having to rally late against the Sox’ bullpen, a unit that has allowed just one earned run in its last 17-1/3 innings. If not, lucky #7 in a row for the home figures to be the result at Fenway tonight.
Catch this game on your cable or DirecTv service tonight by tuning in to ESPN at 7:00 PM ET.
MLB: Series Betting – Chicago White Sox at Detroit
2008-07-28
Two months ago, the Detroit Tigers were a ball club floundering, a rudderless ship, and as George Thoroughgood once sang, they seemed to have “no particular place to go.” Back in the latter stages of May, Detroit trailed the Chicago White Sox by 10 games. Since then, the offense has picked up, the pitching improved and the morale of team is like a General Motors division that just figured out how to knock-off the Toyota Hybrid Pruis.
The Tigers (52-49, -5.6 units) trail the front-running White Sox by 5.5 games and can further reduce this deficit by winning this series. Detroit is 9-5 in last 14 outings and has scored five or more runs in 10 of those contests. The hitting helps cover up other flaws, specifically in the bullpen. Another area which has steadily improved is infield defense. Miguel Cabrera was butcher at third base and is improving on the other side of the diamond at first and Carlos Guillen has settled in at third.
The White Sox (57-43, +10.6 units) are mediocre 4-6 in last 10 tries, as the starting pitching and bullpen has been battered. Only once in these games have Chicago hurlers been able to keep the opposition to under four runs, as they have allowed six or more runs seven times. While managers like Ozzie Guillen provide lip-service to this being only July, the White Sox next 10 games, all on the road, will help shape the rest of their season.
Gavin Floyd (10-6, 3.52, 1.198 WHIP) has matured as a pitcher for Chicago, being one of their most reliable starters this season. Floyd faced Detroit in back-to-back starts to open the season. He gave up a combined three runs in 13 1/3 innings to pick up his first two wins. The Pale Hose come into this series 24-10 against the money line after three or more consecutive home games this season.
Chicago will face of the offerings of Nate Robertson (6-8, 5.69, 1.542 WHIP) and they are 20-13 versus left-hand starters this season. Robertson exemplifies the inconsistency of Detroit this campaign, with performances more up and down than Amy Whinehouse. Sportsbook.com has the Tigers listed as -125 home favorites, with total at Ov10.5. Robertson and Detroit are only 2-13 (-13.0 Units) against the ML at home with a money line of -100 to -125. On a more positive note, the Motor City mashers are 21-8 when the total is 10 or higher this season.
Game 1 Edge: White Sox
A huge key to Jim Leyland’s club turning around was the stability Justin Verlander (8-9, 3.95, 1.236) finally found as the ace of the staff. Once lower than Ford stock with 2-9 record, Verlander is 6-0 in last eight starts (Tigers 7-1), with 2.30 ERA. In July, he’s been especially sharp, throwing 28 2/3 innings, allowing just 15 hits and seven runs. Chicago is 6-2 when facing the Tigers ace and would like to knock him around a bit and see what’s in Detroit’s bullpen. The White Sox are 19-7 vs. a mediocre bullpen whose WHIP is 1.450 to 1.550 this season. Besides Floyd, John Danks (7-4, 3.03, 1.205) has been a pleasant surprise. Danks has four above average pitches; though none are a true out-pitch. He’s had much better command this season, accounting for his success. Thou he was roughed up for six runs in last outing, that was the first time in 18 starts Danks has allowed more than four earned runs. The Sox lefty will need A-Game, with the Tigers feasting on left-hand starters with 20-7 mark.
Game 2 Edge: Tigers
The series finale figures to be what starting pitcher can hang around the longest. Javier Vazquez (7-8, 4.80, 1.383) has always has the ability from “stuff” perspective to be an ace. He can throw in the mid-90’s, has usable change-up, however it’s his breaking stuff that makes or breaks him. When he spots it, Vazquez can be lights out, when not; it’s a carousel for opponents on the base paths. A great indicator of Vazquez problems, after not surrendering one home run in April, he’s allowed 18 since. Zach Miner (4-3, 3.73) failed to impress as starting pitcher in 2006 and has been relegated to long relief since. He’s has location problems with fastball (28 walks vs 24 strikeouts) and doesn’t trust his breaking pitches. He’s done a better job this season, and opponents are batting less than .240 against him, which earned him first start of the year last Monday, allowing no runs over six innings in pressure free 19-4 laugher. Manager Leyland is on record as saying if Miner wants to stay in rotation, throw breaking pitches for strikes. Chicago is 20-15 playing day baseball compared to Detroit’s 18-21.
Game 3 Edge: White Sox
The Tigers are 32-42 versus RH starters and will face them in bookends for this series. While not life of death, the importance of the AL Central showdown is not lost on either team. Chicago has won five of the nine games played this season and is 15-10 at Comerica Park the last three years. The biggest difference in these teams has been how they played in the division. The White Sox are 27-14 and Detroit 17-24. Putting all these factors together, will side with the Pale Hose to increase division lead over the Tigers and win series.
Sportsbook.com series odds: White Sox +130, Tigers -160
StatFox Edge Pick: Chicago
2008 Record – 7-5