MLB Baseball Betting for August 10, 2016
Full card of baseball action for Wednesday:
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES AT LOS ANGELES DODGERS:
The Philadelphia Phillies will look to avoid a three game sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers as the two teams face off at Chavez Ravine. Los Angeles has won four straight and 7 of 10 and is now tied with the San Francisco Giants for the top spot in the National League West. The Phillies had a brief stretch where they were playing well and appeared to be a ‘dark horse’ contender in the National League East. Now they’re going nowhere and have lost their last two games. They won’t catch the Washington Nationals 15.5 games ahead and now their bigger issue is coming from below where the Atlanta Braves have been playing well and are just 8 games back of Philadelphia. The Braves have a good chance to not finish with the worst record in baseball and they’d love to run down the Phillies for the #4 spot in the NL East.
Philadelphia does have the better starting pitcher in tonight’s game. They’ll send right hander Jeremy Hellickson who has very consistent all season long. Philadelphia hoped to trade him away to a ‘contender’ in exchange for prospects at the deadline but that didn’t happen. Philadelphia is 13-10 in Hellickson’s starts including 7-4 on the road. They’ve won his last three assignments. Hellickson has been solid all season–he’s got a 3.72 ERA overall with a 1.152 WHIP, a 3.78 ERA on the road with a 1.170 WHIP and a L3 ERA of 2.94 with a 1.091 WHIP.
Los Angeles will send journeyman lefthander Scott Kazmir to the mound tonight and he’s having a forgettable season. He’s been mediocre at best all year–the Dodgers have gone 12-10 in his 22 games including 6-6 at home. Kazmir has a 4.51 ERA for the season with a 1.282 WHIP, a 4.21 home ERA with a 1.417 WHIP and a 5.82 L3 ERA with a 1.353 WHIP. Philadelphia has made money this year and is looking to avoid the sweep. Hellickson is the substantially better starter and Philadelphia is getting a big underdog price.
BET PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES +190 OVER LOS ANGELES DODGERS
TAMPA BAY RAYS AT TORONTO BLUE JAYS
The Toronto Blue Jays have had a bad habit this season. They’ll get to the top of the American League East standings and *then* go on a downturn. The Jays will try to get things turned around tonight as they host the last place Tampa Bay Rays at the Rogers Centre. The Jays were routed by the Rays in the opening game of the series on Tuesday and have now lost 3 of 4. Fortunately for them, the Baltimore Orioles are in similar form and the two teams remain tied atop the division The Boston Red Sox are 1.5 games behind.
Tampa Bay will start left hander Blake Snell and his stat line tells you everything you need to know about the Rays’ season. Snell has been very capable in limited action but hasn’t received any help from his teammates. Tampa Bay has lost 7 of his 10 starts including 3 of 4 on the road and 2 of his last 3. Snell’s numbers make clear that he’s not the problem–he’s got a 2.95 ERA overall with a 1.400 WHIP, a 1.85 road ERA with a 1.068 WHIP and a 2.60 L3 ERA with a 1.327 WHIP.
Toronto will start J.A. Happ and the lefthander has been very good all season long. In fact, he’s been Toronto’s best–and most consistent–starter. Toronto has won 17 of his 22 starts including 10 of 11 at home and 3 straight. Happ has a 3.09 ERA with a 1.146 WHIP, a 3.02 ERA and a 1.218 WHIP with a 0.95 ERA and a 0.842 WHIP in his last 3. For Happ, this situation is ‘deja vu all over again’ where he’s called upon to get the team a victory during a downturn. No reason to think that he can’t do it against against this dubious class of opposition.
BET TORONTO BLUE JAYS -190 OVER TAMPA BAY RAYS