Baseball Handicapping Articles

MLB Betting and Handicapping: Scouting the Week Ahead
by Alan Matthews - 8/6/2012

I’ll admit that I have no idea what to think of the Baltimore Orioles right now. I tend to lean toward the “they aren’t legitimate playoff contenders” camp even though the Birds enter play Monday just a game out of the wild-card race in the American League.

MLB Predictions: Pirates at Reds Series Odds and Betting Picks
by Alan Matthews - 8/2/2012

Considering they haven’t made the playoffs or even had a winning record since 1992, the Pittsburgh Pirates would be thrilled to earn one of the National League’s two wild-card spots, and they enter play Friday leading those standings. But this year one wild-card team is only going to play a single postseason game, making winning a division even more of a priority. So clearly there is motivation for Pittsburgh to try and catch the Reds in the NL Central. Cincinnati leads the second-place Pirates by 3.5 games, and the two teams meet nine more times this season, starting with this three-game set at Great American Ball Park.

MLB Betting and Handicapping: Scouting the Week Ahead
by Alan Matthews - 7/30/2012

Could the Oakland Athletics actually win the American League West? That seems preposterous considering the big-money Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels reside in that division. However, Oakland has been the American League’s best team in July.

MLB Predictions: White Sox at Rangers Series Odds and Picks
by Alan Matthews - 7/27/2012

I get the chance of a do-over this weekend in my MLB series predictions as the last time the Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox met, it was a three-game set at U.S. Cellular Field from July 3-5. I liked Texas to win the series because the Pale Hose were starting three inexperienced pitchers against the top offense in baseball. But it was Chicago that swept Texas, outscoring the Rangers 26-7 thanks mostly to a 19-2 win the opener. So in fairness, Texas could have still easily won two of three as it lost the last two games by a run apiece and led in both. That remains the only sweep this season of the Rangers in a series of at least three games.

Ichiro Suzuki Yankees Props and Betting Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 7/24/2012

It’s not too often that the Major League Baseball world will be rocked by the trade of a player hitting .261 with four homers and 28 RBI. But then again, most players aren’t Ichiro Suzuki, a 10-time all-star, former AL MVP and easily the best and most iconic player ever in MLB to come from Japan. He will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

MLB Betting and Handicapping: Scouting the Week Ahead
by Alan Matthews - 7/24/2012

On 5Dimes, the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers are the co-+450 favorites to win the World Series, but a few things have gone down that could lift the Yanks ahead of Texas. The first was Monday’s stunning trade between the Mariners and Yankees, with Seattle sending Ichiro Suzuki to the Bombers for two minor-league pitchers. Ichiro is easily the best-ever player to play in MLB from Japan.

MLB Handicapping: Best Early-Week Matchups for Betting
by Adam Richard - 7/23/2012

The ability to get a jump on the sportsbooks is one of the most significant weapons in an MLB handicapper’s arsenal against the bookies. Because of the rigid pitching schedules intended to protect hurler’s arms, we are able to project games early. Bettors can study and analyze stats and trends days before the game, all the while making minor adjustments daily based on side factors (travel, bullpen use previously, injuries, etc).

MLB Handicapping: Best Bullpens by the Numbers
by Aaron Smith - 7/17/2012

Baseball bettors often overvalue the importance of starting pitching. In today’s era, the starter often isn’t around for more than about six innings of work. The last three innings are left to the bullpen. Wise baseball handicappers know that all bullpens are not created equal. In fact, the bullpen will win or lose dozens of games for a team every season.

MLB Betting and Handicapping: Scouting The Week Ahead
by Alan Matthews - 7/16/2012

Could Tuesday night be when the Philadelphia Phillies decide to mail it in for the rest of the season and trade players such as Cole Hamels and Shane Victorino? Or could it be the start of a second-half surge that gets the Phils one of the two NL wild-card spots?

MLB MVP for AL and NL Odds Updates and Betting Picks
by Alan Matthews - 7/12/2012

I continue an all-star break updated look at MLB preseason props with the MVP awards in each league and the re-posted odds at Bovada. It’s safe to say that we will have a new MVP in the American League, all apologies to Justin Verlander and his fine season so far, but we could see the NL’s third repeat winner this century.

MLB Handicapping: Teams that Could Have Strong Second Halves
by T.O. Whenham - 7/11/2012

As we sit here at the end of the first half of the MLB season here’s a look at five teams that have the potential to be kinder to baseball handicappers than they have in the first half. Three would qualify as a disappointment, one has exceeded expectations somewhat already but has more room to grow, and the last one is just plain lousy but is showing signs of life:

2012 MLB All-Star Game Prop Bets with Odds and Predictions
by David Schwab - 7/10/2012

Tonight’s MLB All-Star Game between the American League and the National League at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City is a showcase for all the top talent in the MLB, but it is also an opportunity to place a few timely wagers on the only MLB game of the day during this mid-season break.

MLB Betting and Handicapping: Scouting The Week Ahead
by Alan Matthews - 7/9/2012

I mentioned in my Yankees-Red Sox series preview on Friday here at Doc’s that it probably wasn’t a make-or-break series for Boston unless the Red Sox got swept. Well, after watching all four games, I now think it’s officially time to pull the plug on those Red Sox futures.

Updated MLB Home Run King Odds with Betting Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 7/9/2012

With Major League Baseball at its All-Star break and the midway point of the season (technically slightly past it), it’s time to revisit some preseason prop predictions made here at Doc’s. Let’s start with the home run crown. Back on March 1, I wrote about the Sportsbook.ag player odds for most home runs hit this season, and the site has updated ones currently. In the spring, it listed the Miami Marlins’ Giancarlo Stanton as the +800 favorite and I wasn’t a big fan of betting on him.

MLB Handicapping: Phillies Due for Post-All-Star Turnaround?
by T.O. Whenham - 7/6/2012

Few teams are likely more excited for the all-star break than the Philadelphia Phillies. They headed into the season expected by most to be the serious contender that they have been for years now. Yet here they sit in dead last in the National League East.

2012 MLB All-Star Game Handicapping: Roster Comparisons
by T.O. Whenham - 7/6/2012

Now that the Major League Baseball All-Star Game rosters are set — barring injury or other replacements — it’s a good time to look at how the teams stack up on paper. Does one team have an edge based on talent? Let’s break it down position by position:

MLB Odds and Predictions: Yankees at Red Sox Series Picks
by Alan Matthews - 7/5/2012

The first half of the Major League Baseball season concludes in style this weekend with the most-heated (and certainly most-hyped) rivalry in baseball: Yankees-Red Sox. I had promised myself to stay away from the Yankees for a while as I have previewed many of their series already this season – to hit-and-miss results – but how can I not do Yanks-Sox? Plus, I want to hit on an interesting prop at Sportsbook.ag (see below).

2012 MLB Home Run Derby: Odds and Betting Predictions
by David Schwab - 7/3/2012

Next week’s MLB all-star break not only marks the end of the first half of the regular season, but it also provides us with one of the most popular events connected with the All-Star Game; the 2012 State Farm Home Run Derby. This year’s Derby will be held at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City on Monday, July 9, at 8 p.m. (ET) and it will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

MLB Handicapping: as Lawrie Shines Blue Jays Totals Rise
by Adam Richard - 7/3/2012

The Toronto Blue Jays made a change to the batting order in early June, implementing super sophomore Brett Lawrie in the lead-off position. Since that time, Lawrie has improved in every offensive statistical category and, in turn, has led this Toronto lineup to improve in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage while increasing the walk percentage and decreasing the strikeout percentage.

Betting on MLB Trends: Home Plate Umpire
by David Schwab - 7/3/2012

When it comes to MLB handicapping for a particular matchup, there are a number of key factors that you have to take into consideration, including each team’s starting pitcher, weather and field conditions, a team’s current form, the home-plate umpire, etc. Another important and sometimes overlooked factor is the betting trends for a particular matchup.