The St. Louis Cardinals are coming off of a rather disappointing 2010 campaign that included losing the lead in the NL Central over the last month of the season to miss the playoffs. The Cardinals were fairly active in the offseason, notably acquiring Lance Berkman and Ryan Theriot. The team features two of baseball’s top hitters in Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday, as well as two of the top pitchers in the majors with Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter. Let’s take a look at the projected...
Read more about 2011 St. Louis Cardinals Predictions Pitching Correlations with Runs Allowed - February 8, 2011In MLB handicapping you have two distinct areas to focus on, how many runs a team is going to score and how many runs they are going to give up. Hitting statistics play a big part in predicting those numbers, but pitching plays nearly as big of a part in making your prediction. For evaluating different statistics we are going to use correlation. Correlation is a statistical tool that measures how closely one set of numbers relates to another set. For our purposes we are going to look at different...
Read more about Pitching Correlations with Runs Allowed Hitting Correlations With Runs Scored - February 8, 2011For making successful baseball picks you want focus on both offensive (run production) and defensive (pitching/fielding) factors. All aspects of the game have an effect on the outcome, however, we do find that hitting statistics (at least in the modern era) correlate slightly more to winning than the other variables. The question we are left with is, what hitting statistics are most important? That is, which stats are best at predicting a winning team? We pulled the numbers from the 2010 season...
Read more about Hitting Correlations With Runs Scored MLB Home Field Advantage - January 25, 2011What is the home field advantage in Major League Baseball? This isn’t an easy question to answer, but it is an important question to ask when considering betting on baseball. Because MLB betting doesn’t involve a point spread (there is a runline, but that is a much different story) it’s not as easy for us to establish a baseline for what home field advantage is worth. Wins, not winning margins are more important when you are betting on the moneyline, so how can we quantify...
Read more about MLB Home Field Advantage Odds to Win the 2010 World Series - October 5, 2010The postseason is finally here, and now it’s time to preview each team that has a chance to win the World Series. I’ll list the MLB odds on every team to win it all, while also giving you some insight to every clubhouse. Philadelphia Phillies: (+225) – A $100 wager would profit you $225 if the Phillies were to win it all. This team is the favorite to take down their second World Series title in the past three years. That’s because they went out and loaded their pitching staff by trading...
Read more about Odds to Win the 2010 World Series 2010 AL East Playoff Predictions - August 18, 2010The MLB season is winding on down with only around 44 games left in the regular season for each ball club. It’s time to make those runs for the playoffs. I’m going to take a look at the AL East here today. Currently, the NY Yankees and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays are tied atop the division and are the best two teams in the American League with identical records of 72-46. That means that if the season were to end today both of these teams would make the playoffs. Not far behind, sitting in 3rd place...
Read more about 2010 AL East Playoff Predictions Odds to Win the 2010 MLB World Series - August 1, 2010The trade deadline has passed, and now I’ll take a look at the 2010 MLB World Series odds currently offered at Sportsbook.com. If you think you have a good idea which team is going to take down the title this year with only roughly 55 or so games to go in the regular season, then now would be a good time to go get your bets in. Below I list teams who I feel are undervalued and also teams that are overvalued according to the MLB odds. Undervalued Teams: I went through the World Series lines and...
Read more about Odds to Win the 2010 MLB World Series 2010 Home Run Derby Odds - July 12, 2010Below I’ll break down each participant while giving a little helpful information on each slugger to help you get a feel for which player has the best chance to outlast the competition. I also give my prediction on who will win it all to help you beat the MLB odds. Derby Contenders: David Ortiz, Red Sox (+300) – After a slow start this season, Ortiz has come on strong over the last few months and has 18 home runs for the season. He has hit a homer once every 14.4 at-bats this year...
Read more about 2010 Home Run Derby Odds Tips on Betting MLB Totals - June 16, 2010Mike Lineback is one of the best baseball handicappers that we have, so when he starts talking about the best ways to beat the MLB odds, we think everyone should listen. In today’s article he is going to discuss the different things he looks at when breaking down a game and deciding if the total shows any value. If you don’t want to spend the time to break down these games on your own, then we advise you to look at one of his long term subscriptions of baseball picks in order to let...
Read more about Tips on Betting MLB Totals Baseball Handicapping Strategies - May 13, 2010Even though baseball isn’t the sport that I make the most money for my clients at, I have been improving in each of the past four years. The reason I am able to do so is that I study my mistakes and spend a lot of time researching what worked and didn’t work. That is why I am confident that the 2010 season is going to be my best ever, because 2009 was better than 2008 and on down the line. There are a lot of unique aspects of handicapping MLB games that beginner’s can be slow...
Read more about Baseball Handicapping Strategies 2010 Kansas City Royals Predictions - April 2, 2010The Kansas City Royals hope to duplicate last season’s 18-11 start, when they held a three game lead in the AL Central thru May 7th. However, as much as we could hope, this is very unlikely, and it’s only a matter of time before the Royals fall into their perennial losing ways. Rotation Cy Young winner Zack Greinke is the only sure thing in a very suspect pitching rotation. If healthy, Gil Meche has top of the rotation stuff. However, the right-hander is scheduled to miss his opening...
Read more about 2010 Kansas City Royals Predictions 2010 Minnesota Twins Predictions - April 2, 2010The Minnesota Twins look to defend their AL Central title in new Target Field this season. And they better win some games, because otherwise, nobody is going to show up when the weather turns wet and frigid. Now I know taxpayer money was involved, but what genius decided to leave out the retractable roof?? Hence, I’m going to consider the “no roof” situation as a bad omen for the Twins, and predict they will have a hard time repeating as AL Central champions. Rotation Minnesota...
Read more about 2010 Minnesota Twins Predictions 2010 MLB Season Preview & Predictions - March 30, 2010I have gone over a preview of every team in Major League Baseball, and now it’s time to do a recap of my predictions in the American and National leagues, along with the teams I feel will make the 2010 World Series. American League: AL East: Yankees Win & Red Sox Earn Wild Card – Looking at this powerful division, there are the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays who will all be fighting for their spots in the postseason. The Yankees and Red Sox have the proven veterans and are each certainly teams...
Read more about 2010 MLB Season Preview & Predictions 2010 Cleveland Indians Predictions - March 30, 2010Cleveland hopes to stay healthy this year and improve on one of the worst pitching staffs in Major League Baseball last season. Rotation Jake Westbrook (R) – Fausto Carmona (R) – Justin Masterson (R) – Mitch Talbot (R) – David Huff (L)/Carlos Carrasca (R: The top of the rotation looks solid if both Westbrook and Carmona can return to previous form. Westbrook is coming off Tommy John surgery and has only started 5 games (34.2 IP) the last 2 years. Carmona has filthy stuff,...
Read more about 2010 Cleveland Indians Predictions 2010 Washington Nationals Predictions - March 25, 2010Washington Nationals fans are awaiting the day when they won’t have to hear about what Scott Boras advisee the team is going to select with the first pick in the June draft every year. Washington finished 59-103 last year, the second straight season they finished with that record along with earning the top pick in the draft for a second straight year. Fans can be excited about Stephen Strasburg and his upper 90’s fastball to compliment a hammer curve. But they are likely to spend this summer...
Read more about 2010 Washington Nationals Predictions 2010 San Francisco Giants Predictions - March 24, 2010The San Francisco Giants produced their first winning season since 2004, going 88-74 in 2009. But it just so happened to be a very tough year in the NL West, as both the Dodgers and Rockies finished with better records than San Francisco. That meant no postseason appearance, and it sure as heck wasn’t because of their pitching staff. Tim Lincecum won the NL Cy Young for a second straight season, and Matt Cain emerged on the scene as one of the best in the league last season. But their line-up let...
Read more about 2010 San Francisco Giants Predictions San Diego Padres Predictions 2010 - March 24, 2010The San Diego Padres finished 75-87 last season and avoided the cellar of the NL West, which was an accomplishment in itself with what this team had heading into 2009. But they were outscored by 131 runs overall, and they traded away franchise icon Jake Peavy to the Chicago White Sox this offseason. Next in line could be first baseman Adrian Gonzalez because the Padres simply cannot match the kind of offer for him that other teams like the Yankees and Red Sox can. Their farm system has been putrid...
Read more about San Diego Padres Predictions 2010 St. Louis Cardinals 2010 Predictions - March 24, 2010The St. Louis Cardinals made all the right moves to win the NL Central last season, posting a 91-71 record before a quit exit in the first round of the postseason, losing to the Dodgers. They brought in Matt Holliday, Julio Lugo, Mark DeRosa and John Smoltz. It did cost the Cardinals five minor leaguers, but they went on to win 32 of their first 43 games with Holliday in the line-up. They also managed to get Holliday locked up long term by signing him to a seven-year, $120 million deal. He is the...
Read more about St. Louis Cardinals 2010 Predictions Detroit Tigers 2010 Predictions - March 24, 2010After losing to the Minnesota Twins in a one-game Divisional playoff last season, the Detroit Tigers decided to cut payroll and get younger in 2010. Out the door are key bats Curtis Granderson and Placido Polanco , #2 starter Edwin Jackson and setup man Brandon Lyon and closer Fernando Rodney. Jackson, Lyon and Rodney can be replaced, but the Tigers are sorely going to miss Granderson’s and Polanco’s offensive production. Not to mention, Polanco is a two-time gold glove winner. New arrival,...
Read more about Detroit Tigers 2010 Predictions Pittsburgh Pirates 2010 Predictions - March 23, 2010The Pittsburgh Pirates lost 99 games last season, marking their 17th consecutive losing season. It broke the Phillies’ record of sixteen straight losing seasons and it stands alone as the longer losing streak of the four major professional sports. It was their third straight year finishing in last place in the NL Central, the 10th time they’ve done that during this streak. Pittsburgh is notorious for trading away their best players, ala Jason Bay, Nate McClouth, Jack Wilson, Xavier Nady and Freddy...
Read more about Pittsburgh Pirates 2010 Predictions 2010 Philadelphia Phillies Predictions - March 23, 2010The Philadelphia Phillies proved they are here to stay last season. They traded for Cliff Lee before the deadline, and went on to make the World Series for a second straight year after getting though the Rockies and Dodgers with ease. Though it wasn’t the same championship finish as it was in 2008, they still gave the Yankees all they could handle, eventually losing in six games. It was the Phillies’ third straight NL East crown, and they certainly made their case as one of the best teams in...
Read more about 2010 Philadelphia Phillies Predictions New York Mets Predictions 2010 - March 23, 2010The New York Mets entered the 2009 season with thoughts of winning a world series. They had just signed Francisco Rodriquez to shore up the bullpen, and they had the likes of Carlos Beltran, David Wright, Carlos Delgado and Jose Reyes to carry the offensive load. But Beltran, Delgado and Reyes all missed the majority of the season due to injury, and Wright could not carry the load by himself. The Mets ranked 25th in the majors in runs scored last season. Johan Santana had been pitching great before...
Read more about New York Mets Predictions 2010 Milwaukee Brewers 2010 Predictions - March 23, 2010It’s the same-old, same-old for the Milwaukee Brewers. They have one of the most potent line-ups in baseball, but they cannot win consistently due to a shaky pitching staff. The combo of Prince Fielder and Ryan Bruan have each hit 30-plus home runs for three straight seasons, and they combined to drive in 255 runs last year. Fielder’s 141 RBI’s last season led the NL, and broke the club record held by Cecil Cooper. Braun was the only NL batter to record more than 200 hits. But the Brewers’...
Read more about Milwaukee Brewers 2010 Predictions Los Angeles Dodgers 2010 Predictions - March 23, 2010The L.A. Dodgers led the National League with 95 wins last season, and they made it to the NLCS for a second straight year. This is one of the most proud franchises in the big leagues, and they sold more tickets than another other team last season. With ownership in limbo, general manager Ned Colletti wasn’t allowed to spend money over the winter to improve their team. He wasn’t able to offer arbitration to Randy Wolf and Orlando Husdon, and as a result they lost out on a couple draft picks as...
Read more about Los Angeles Dodgers 2010 Predictions Houston Astros 2010 Predictions - March 22, 2010Houston Astros GM Ed Wade decided on hiring Brad Mills to be his manager for the 2010 season despite the fact that he lacked the experience that other candidates had to offer. But he has been a part of the Red Sox organization the past six years, serving as their bench coach, so he’s seen what it takes to get the job done in October. He owns two World Series rings, learning from Terry Francona, one of the best in the business. The Astros had the oldest roster in baseball last year, and after getting...
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