MLB Baseball Betting for July 2, 2016
Another full card of baseball betting action on Saturday:
MLB BASEBALL BETTING FOR JULY 2, 2016:
MILWAUKEE BREWERS AT ST. LOUIS CARDINALS:
Two teams that have been playing very erratic baseball this year face off in St. Louis as the hometown Cardinals take on the Milwaukee Brewers. The Cardinals were playing great baseball but have hit the skids of late and have actually lost ground to the first place Chicago Cubs. The Cubs have lost 6 of 10 but have increased their lead over St. Louis from 9 games last week to 11 games currently.
The Cardinals also have to keep an eye in the rear view mirror. The Pittsburgh Pirates are just 2.5 games back in third place with the Brewers in fourth place just 5 games back. Milwaukee has lost 4 of 6 and have been especially bad on the road (13-23). Jimmy Nelson will get the start for Milwaukee and although he hasn’t pitched badly this year he struggles against left handed hitters and the Cardinals have plenty of them.
St. Louis will counter with Adam Wainwright and they’ve won 10 of his 16 starts this year though his numbers aren’t particularly impressive. Wainwright has a 5.05 ERA overall and a 3.65 ERA at home. He’s put up a 4.34 ERA in his last three games but the Cards have lost two of these games. Cards have won too of 3 at home this year and Nelson has been hit hard by the Cardinals over the course of his career. His team is 1-4 in his 5 career starts against St. Louis and he’s got a substandard 9.26 ERA. Wainwright, meanwhile, has a 2.39 ERA and a 0.964 WHIP against Milwaukee throughout the course of his career.
BET ST. LOUIS CARDINALS -170 OVER MILWAUKEE BREWERS
CINCINNATI REDS AT WASHINGTON NATIONALS:
The Cincinnati Reds are a grease fire. They had been in decent form at the first of June but have imploded since and are almost certain to be passed up by the Atlanta Braves to assume the basement in the National League. The Reds have lost 4 straight and 8 of 10 pending the outcome of Friday’s game. They already have the worst run differential in baseball (-139) and have the worst road record in the National League (11-26).
The Nationals have bounced backed nicely from their 7 game losing streak a week or so ago. They’ve now won five straight and opened up a 6 game lead over the New York Mets atop the NL East with a 6.5 game advantage over the third place Miami Marlins. The Reds will start Daniel Straily who has been in horrible form of late. In his last three starts he’s pitched 14 innings allowing 17 earned runs in three Reds’ losses. He’ll be opposed by right hander Joe Ross who might not be a Cy Young level pitcher but has been solid and consistent all year.
BET WASHINGTON NATIONALS -200 OVER CINCINNATI REDS
CHICAGO CUBS AT NEW YORK METS:
Things looked to be on the upswing for the Chicago Cubs after sweeping the Cincinnati Reds over the weekend but they’re back in the toilet after two games of their four game weekend series against the New York Mets. The Cubs lost Thursday’s series opener 4-3 and Friday’s game was being delayed in the 6th innings with the Mets up 10-1. Chicago will send their ace, Jake Arrieta, to the hill on Saturday and the Cubs are 13-3 overall in his starts including a perfect 8-0 on the road. He’s got a 2.10 ERA overall and a 2.50 road ERA. As good as those numbers are, Mets’ starter Bartolo Colon is in good form himself. He’s been victimized at times by New York’s sputtering offense but can’t argue with his numbers: 2.91 overall, 2.63 at home and a 1.80 ERA in his last three games.
Just can’t play on Chicago in their current form. We’ll take the Mets.
BET NEW YORK METS +160 OVER CHICAGO CUBS
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS AT ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS:
The Diamondbacks were in great form a week ago having won 7 of 10 but now they’ve lost 5 straight (pending the outcome of Friday’s game) and they’ve got a tough task for the weekend with the San Francisco Giants in town. The Diamondbacks are slipping down the table in the NL West and are now in fourth place just two games up on the last place San Diego Padres. They’re 2.5 games back of the third place Colorado Rockies. Only the second place Los Angeles Dodgers (6 games back) are within sight of the divisional leader San Francisco Giants.
The Giants have won 6 of 10 and there’s no reason to think they can’t take care of business here. Arizona will start lefthander Pat Corbin here and they’ve yet to win at home with him on the mound. They’re 0-7 in his home starts and he’s put up a 7.03 ERA. He’ll be opposed by right hander Jeff Samardzija who has struggled in his last two starts, allowing 12 earned runs in 9 innings pitched. Arizona has been horrible at home (13-28 -21.1 units) while the Giants have cleaned up on the road (26-15 +10.8 units) and against left handers (18-11 +7.6 units). Not thrilled with Samardzija’s current form but can’t pass up the Giants at the price.
BET SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS -120 OVER ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS