Baseball Handicapping Articles

Free MLB Picks for Best Props Odds: Tuesday August 2, 2016
by Chris Vasile - 8/2/2016

We are about 24-hours post non-waiver trade deadline and the talk around baseball is how the Texas Rangers got about five times better than they were before Monday. The Rangers were able to acquire slugger Carlos Beltran from the Yankees as well as highly sought after Jonathan Lucroy from the Brewers, all while keeping their two top prospects. These two additions should make up for the lack of quality in the bullpen. Barring an implosion from the starting rotation, the Rangers are for the real deal this postseason.

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Tuesday, August 2, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews - 8/1/2016

Sometimes it can be costly to wait too long to trade one of your top assets. Sure, you might get more from another team right at the deadline, but if you wait that long you also run the risk of injury to the player you want to trade. And that's exactly what happened to the Kansas City Royals and All-Star closer Wade Davis. On Sunday, the team announced it was placing Davis on the 15-day DL with a Grade 1 forearm strain.

MLB Betting Advice and Handicapping: Best and Worst Profit Starting Pitchers
by Victor Ryan - 8/1/2016

With July in the books, it's time for the monthly Doc's Sports pitchers report identifying the hurlers that have turned the biggest profits and suffered the biggest losses. Both lists have a decided American League flavor, as Chris Tillman of the Orioles has been the best bet in baseball, with Chris Archer of the Rays being the worst.

MLB Betting Trends: Hot and Cold Baseball Wagers
by Victor Ryan - 8/1/2016

It was a good week for MLB underdog bettors. Sub-.500 teams such as the Brewers, Rays and Reds each turned tidy profits while going a combined 19-6. But by far the best bet in baseball was the Tigers, who went 6-0 and posted +8.1 units in profits. That's the highest one-week total of any club this season.

Expert MLB Betting Advice: Weekly Baseball Bullpen Report
by Victor Ryan - 8/1/2016

The Milwaukee Brewers and Colorado Rockies went a combined 11-3 last week with several wins coming as an underdog, which helped turn a nice profit for their backers. A major reason for this wagering windfall was the work of both club's relief staffs.

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Saturday, July 30, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews - 7/29/2016

I suppose it's possible that the MLB futures odds could look vastly different by the time I write my next "Five to Follow" story for Tuesday's games, but I rather doubt it. The Cubs will be World Series favorites regardless, but a team like the Red Sox, Rangers, Nationals or Dodgers could make a big climb if they somehow landed ace Chris Sale from the White Sox. More likely, we see middling names traded by the Aug. 1 deadline.

MLB Trade Rumors and Expert Analysis
by Chris Vasile - 7/29/2016

We are approximately 72 hours away from the 2016 Major League Baseball trade deadline, and up until now - with the exception of two major trades - it has been nothing but speculation on which teams will be buyers and sellers come 3 p.m. on August 1.

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Friday, July 29, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews - 7/28/2016

Maybe something will come out of this lost season for the San Diego Padres after all -- other than restocking the farm system by trading away half the team. The club dealt outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. to Toronto earlier this week to open up a full-time spot for 26-year-old rookie Alex Dickerson. And all he has done is homer in four straight games entering Friday's series opener at home against Cincinnati.

Free MLB Picks for Best Props Odds: Thursday July 28, 2016
by Chris Vasile - 7/28/2016

Coming into this season, the "inside joke" among MLB fans was that since this was an even year, the San Francisco Giants would cruise to their fourth World Series title since 2010 (wins in 2010, 2012 and 2014). Early signs pointed to the Giants dominating and getting back to the postseason without even breaking a sweat. Unfortunately, the All-Star break turned the best pre-break record into the worst post-break record.

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Thursday, July 28, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews - 7/27/2016

The Miami Marlins are expected to make a trade ahead of the Aug. 1 deadline to add a starting pitcher, but their lineup will get an in-house boost on Thursday with the return of second baseman Dee Gordon from an 80-game PED suspension. But that's the thing, which Gordon is Miami getting? The All-Star from 2015 who led the National League in batting and stolen bases (while perhaps getting some illegal drug support)?

Expert MLB Betting Advice: Weekly Baseball Bullpen Report
by Victor Ryan - 7/26/2016

As several teams in playoff contention received big boosts from their bullpens last week, the White Sox relief staff suffered one of the epic meltdowns in recent history when blowing all six save opportunities. Below is a closer look at the best and worst bullpens from the past week in MLB.

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Wednesday, July 27, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews - 7/26/2016

Another day, another trade. The San Diego Padres' fire sale continued as they traded outfielder Melvin Upton Jr., who used to have one of the worst contracts in baseball but is having a solid bounce-back season, to the Toronto Blue Jays for a prospect. It's just a salary dump for San Diego, while Toronto should use Upton (.256, 16 HRs, 45 RBIs, 20 SBs) on a mostly every-day basis and could allow Jose Bautista, who just came off the disabled list, to move to DH and Edwin Encarnacion to first base -- which means Justin Smoak is out of luck.

Free MLB Picks for Best Props Odds: Tuesday July 26, 2016
by Chris Vasile - 7/26/2016

What a crazy 72 hours it's been in the world of Major League Baseball. There is no major story to lead off with because they are all just equally as crazy. The New York Yankees have seemingly gone into seller mode after trading their highly-coveted offseason signing, Aroldis Chapman, to the Cubs in exchange for some good prospects. This now officially makes the Cubs the team to beat should they right the ship and get hot heading into the postseason.

MLB Betting Trends: Hot and Cold Baseball Wagers
by Victor Ryan - 7/25/2016

It has been an interesting start to the second half of the MLB season as every divisional race has tightened since the All-Star break. The Giants and Rangers, leaders of the N.L and A.L West divisions, respectively, have been at the forefront of this trend. Each has nosedived since the Mid-Summer Classic, earning them spots on this week's list of the coldest bets in baseball.

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Tuesday, July 26, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews - 7/25/2016

If the Chicago Cubs win this year's World Series then team president Theo Epstein should be inducted into Cooperstown immediately if he manages that miracle after also ending the 86-year title drought of the Boston Red Sox when he was the general manager there. The Cubs were already World Series betting favorites, and Epstein made it clear on Monday that he's all-in for this season by trading a pretty nice package of prospects Gleyber Torres (No. 1 in Cubs system) and Billy McKinney (No. 5), pitcher Adam Warren and one more lesser prospect to the Yankees for fire-balling lefty closer Aroldis Chapman, who can be a free agent after the season.

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Saturday, July 23, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews - 7/22/2016

It's tough to be a White Sox fan, especially if you live in Chicago, because almost everything the Pale Hose do is overshadowed by the crosstown Cubs. At least the White Sox have won a World Series since World War I, doing so in 2005. But they have made the playoffs just once since and not finished above .500 since 2012. You have to respect the franchise in that it never totally gives up and does a full-blown rebuild like the Cubs recently did. The White Sox have trouble drawing fans, so they always try to contend. It simply hasn't been working.

MLB Betting Trends: Totals Report for Hot Over and Under Teams
by Aaron Smith - 7/22/2016

The All-Star break is certainly a welcome rest for the players, and baseball handicappers have to enjoy the break from the grind as well. Football season is fast approaching, and it will soon be getting all the headlines, so the next few weeks are the last time baseball will be in the spotlight until the playoffs get underway.

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Friday, July 22, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews - 7/21/2016

The frenzy before the Aug. 1 trading deadline has officially begun. The one weakness on the World Series betting favored Chicago Cubs is their bullpen, specifically a situational lefty. The Cubs have been linked to both excellent Yankees lefties, Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman. I would think the chances of getting one of those two has lessened now that the Cubs landed Mariners lefty Mike Montgomery on Wednesday for two minor-leaguers.

Free MLB Picks for Best Props Odds: Thursday July 21, 2016
by Chris Vasile - 7/21/2016

I saw a stat that yesterday marked the third time this season that there have been a combined 50 home runs hit on a single day. The last time a season had three such days of 50 home runs on the same day was in 2000. I'm not sure exactly what that speaks to more - the lack of quality pitching or just the sheer power of today's hitters compared to the hitters of the past. In my opinion, it's the lack of quality pitchers.

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Thursday, July 21, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews - 7/20/2016

The Dodgers are likely to go with rookie lefty Julio Urias (1-2, 4.95) here, as he will be recalled from the minors. He had been sent down to conserve innings and was pitching in relief in Triple-A. Thus I'm sure he will be on a definite pitch count here. Urias faced Washington on June 22 and allowed two runs in five innings.