MLB Baseball Betting for August 13, 2016
Busy day of baseball action for Saturday. In fact, a generally busy day for sports in general with preseason NFL and Olympic action on the schedule:
MLB BASEBALL BETTING FOR AUGUST 13, 2016:
PITTSBURGH PIRATES AT LOS ANGELES DODGERS:
The Pittsburgh Pirates are likely out of contention in the NL Central where the Chicago Cubs all of a sudden look like a behemoth again. They’re now in the role of ‘the spoiler‘ and they’re off to a good start at screwing with other teams’ playoff fortunes–they beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 on Friday night. That leaves the Dodgers 1 game back of the NL West leading San Francisco Giants. The Colorado Rockies have taken a downturn and are 8.5 games back of L.A. As far as Pittsburgh goes, they’re 1/2 games back of the second place St. Louis Cardinals which sounds great until you realize that they’re 14.5 games back of the streaking Chicago Cubs. The Cards and Pirates are now regretting that they didn’t make more of a run when the Cubs were in their downturn prior to the All Star Break. It was foolish to assume that a team with as much talent as Chicago wouldn’t get it turned around at some point. Well, this is ‘some point’–as in the Cubs have won 14 of 15 and 11 straight.
This series has been all Pittsburgh for several years now. Over the past three seasons the Pirates are 14-4 +13.1 units against the Dodgers and 6-2 +5.4 units at Chavez Ravine. They’re now 4-1 +4.5 units this year–all on the Dodgers’ home field. Gerrit Cole has put up good numbers this season (even if his team hasn’t always given him run support) and he’s significantly better than Dodgers’ starter Brandon McCarthy. Game is currently ‘off the board’ due to uncertainties in the Dodgers’ pitching rotation. McCarthy is the scheduled starter but it could end up being Joe Blanton or Brett Anderson. No matter who takes the ball for Los Angeles when this game goes up on the board the Pirates are the play.
BET PITTSBURGH PIRATES OVER LOS ANGELES DODGERS
COLORADO ROCKIES AT PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES:
You almost have to feel bad for the Atlanta Braves. They’ve been playing well lately (W 7 of L10) but can’t make up any ground on the fourth place Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. Philadelphia is now 6-4 in their last 10 and have re-opened a 10.5 game lead over Atlanta. They’ll have a good chance to increase their advantage as the slumping Colorado Rockies are in town for a weekend series. Colorado went on a nice run in late July/early August but are back to their losing ways having dropped 7 of 10. They’re just 8.5 games behind the second place Dodgers and just 9.5 games out of first place so they’re not out of contention–and particularly with the other teams in the West not doing well either. Of course, getting into contention would require a winning run and that doesn’t appear to be forthcoming at the moment.
The Phillies will start right hander Jerad Eickhoff who has been solid all season and in very good form of late. Overall, Eickhoff has a 3.78 ERA with a 1.196 WHIP though the Phillies have won only 10 of his 23 starts. At home, the Phillies are 6-5 when Eickhoff takes the ball and he’s got a 2.92 ERA and a 1.098 WHIP. They haven’t given him much help in his recent starts though Eickhoff has pitched well. He’s got a 2.50 ERA and a 0.722 WHIP in his last 3 starts but the Phillies only won one of those games–they scored a total of one run in the two losses.
Colorado will start Las Vegas native and University of Oregon product Tyler Anderson–he’s shown some good things since joining the rotation. The Rockies have won 6 of his 11 starts with Anderson putting up a 3.04 ERA and 1.206 WHIP overall and a 1.80 ERA and a 1.000 WHIP on the road. He’s put up some very solid numbers in his last three starts in which the Rockies are 2-1. Anderson has a 1.80 ERA and a 1.000 WHIP during that stretch.
Anderson could be a solid MLB starter but should the Rockies be a road favorite here? They’ve only been a road favorite in this price range (-105 to -125) only 8 times this year and 16 times over the past 3 years. Philadelphia doesn’t hit LHP especially well but then again they don’t hit *any* pitching especially well. They are 13-13 against lefthanders which translates into a profit of +5.2 units.
BET PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES +105 OVER COLORADO ROCKIES