Baseball Handicapping Articles

MLB Betting and Handicapping: Totals Trends Report
by Aaron Smith - 8/13/2013

Two weeks ago when we last did the Totals Trends Report, the “under” was absolutely dominating. The under has still been the better side in the past two weeks, but that trend is showing signs of changing. The under is hitting at a 57 percent clip in the past month, but in the past week the “over” is actually 46-43.

MLB Betting and Handicapping: Scouting the Week Ahead
by Alan Matthews - 8/12/2013

The Pittsburgh Pirates are going to finish with their first winning record since 1992. That's a lock. However, I wonder if some cracks started to show over the weekend which may force general manager Neal Huntington to perhaps make a waiver trade like the Texas Rangers did last week in landing Alex Rios from the White Sox (more on Texas in a minute).

This Week in MLB Betting By the Numbers
by Aaron Smith - 8/12/2013

Atlanta’s recent amazing hot streak has given them the best record in baseball. Pittsburgh has the second-best record in baseball, but it seems everyone is still waiting for them to fall off as they have done the past couple years. Their recent sweep at the hands of the Rockies in Colorado is giving their doubters a little bit of ammunition.

MLB Handicapping and Betting: The Bullpen Report
by Aaron Smith - 8/6/2013

It’s very difficult to have a good baseball team without a good bullpen. The bullpen is counted on to put up zeroes in the most important part of the game. A team that has a bullpen that is unreliable is highly unlikely to be successful over the long run.

MLB Betting and Handicapping: Scouting the Week Ahead
by Alan Matthews - 8/5/2013

The winners in the fallout of the Biogenesis suspensions appear to clearly be the Cleveland Indians and Oakland A's. To a lesser extent, you can probably put the Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles in there.

This Week in MLB Betting By the Numbers
by Aaron Smith - 8/5/2013

The suspensions have been looming for many months, but today Major League Baseball finally made it official. It was announced that 12 players will be serving 50-game suspensions for violations of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program and in relation to the Biogenesis investigation. These 12 players have agreed to the suspensions and will begin serving the suspension effective immediately.

MLB Handicapping: Hot/Cold Pitchers and Hitters Betting Report
by Ricky Dimon - 8/1/2013

Break up the Bucks! Yes, the Pirates are the best team in baseball. Combined with St. Louis’ seven-game losing streak, Pittsburgh’s four-game surge has it 2.5 games ahead of the rest of the pack in the NL Central. Whereas the Pirates are red hot, it has been a different second-half story for Chris Davis. Let’s take a hot-or-not look around baseball heading into August.

MLB Handicapping: Dodgers as World Series Contenders
by Trevor Whenham - 8/1/2013

The Dodgers are a remarkable story. For the first half of this long season they were grouped in with the Nationals, Blue Jays and Angels as major championship contenders who were struggling so badly it seemed like their season was lost. On June 15 they were 29-38 and sitting 7.5 games out of the divisional lead.

MLB Handicapping: Struggling Teams that Could Heat Up
by Trevor Whenham - 8/1/2013

It has been a long time since the Kansas City Royals could be considered a success by almost any definition. In one key way, though, the Royals are performing right now in a way that I wish every team could. As usual, the team was lousy in the first half — they were just 43-49 heading into the all-star break.

MLB Betting and Handicapping: Totals Trends Report
by Aaron Smith - 7/31/2013

Early in the season, the “over” was the way to play totals in Major League Baseball. Things have surely changed of late! Normally when I do this MLB totals report I list the Top-5 teams over teams and the top five “under” teams. This week’s report will contain only three over teams, because only three teams in the entire league had more games finish over the posted total than under.

This Week in MLB Betting By the Numbers
by Aaron Smith - 7/29/2013

The race for the American League East still looks like it will be the best in all of baseball. Will it be the red-hot Tampa Bay Rays? Can Boston hang on? Will Baltimore or New York be able to get back in the picture? The Yankees got some Sunday heroics from Derek Jeter in his first game back from the disabled list, but they are 7.5 games back and in desperate need of a great month of August.

Top Props of the Week: 2013 MLB Division Title Odds
by Dave Schwab - 7/29/2013

The MLB regular season heads into the stretch run as the calendar gets ready to turn the page to August, and the race for a title in four of six divisions remains as tight as ever. Bovada has recently updated its odds for all six division races, making it a great time to try and uncover the value in the numbers.

MLB Betting and Handicapping: Scouting the Week Ahead
by Alan Matthews - 7/29/2013

In my opinion, the most interesting week of baseball's regular season is here with the trade deadline arriving on Wednesday afternoon. Expect a shift of a few teams' futures odds should they acquire a big-name player. The Rangers' World Series odds, for example, dropped from 14/1 to 12/1 at Bovada when they got Matt Garza.

MLB Handicapping: Hot/Cold Pitchers and Hitters Betting Report
by Ricky Dimon - 7/26/2013

There never fails to be a few second-half sensations in every Major League Baseball season. The Dodgers as a team may be this year’s example. They returned from the all-star break to win six in a row and storm ahead of the pack in the NL West. For others, however, the second half has been an unmitigated disaster. And we’re not just talking about Ryan Braun.

MLB Handicapping: Tampa Bay Rays and AL East Race
by Trevor Whenham - 7/25/2013

After an underwhelming start to their season, the Tampa Bay Rays have really found their stride and are threatening to take over the lead in the American League East. They are a scorching 19-3 in their last 22 and have the second-best record in the AL — just a half game behind the Red Sox.

MLB Playoff Odds: Which Teams Will Make the Cut?
by George Monroy - 7/24/2013

Now that the all-star break is over its time for MLB teams to get straight to the business of making the postseason. With roughly 60 games left in the regular season, there are still eight to 10 teams with a solid shot at making the playoffs, even though no one has officially been mathematically eliminated from postseason—at least not yet.

Top Props of the Week: 2013 MLB World Series Matchups
by Dave Schwab - 7/24/2013

The 2013 MLB regular season grinds its way into the dog days of summer with a clear picture of which teams are the top contenders to win this year’s World Series. BetOnline has recently released its prop bet odds for which two teams will clash in this year’s Fall Classic. And after breaking down the numbers for all the potential matchups, the following are my top three plays.

MLB Handicapping and Betting: The Bullpen Report
by Aaron Smith - 7/23/2013

Bullpens just aren’t as reliable as they were in the past. The lack of depth in most bullpens is making blown leads more and more common in the past couple years. Baseball bettors know that the toughest way to lose a wager is via the dreaded bullpen meltdown.

This Week in MLB Betting By the Numbers
by Aaron Smith - 7/22/2013

It was a nice little respite while it lasted, but after the all-star break it is full throttle all the way to October for Major League Baseball bettors. I hope everyone got rested up and is ready for the grind that is ahead.

MLB Betting and Handicapping: Scouting the Week Ahead
by Alan Matthews - 7/22/2013

Dr. James Andrews. The three worst words any athlete can hear in his career. And that's the guy whom Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz will visit with Monday. Somehow a sore neck has morphed into something much worse with the Sox ace not having pitched in more than six weeks. What's even stranger is that Boston's team doctors already have cleared him. Andrews' diagnosis -- which could come Tuesday -- will shape the American League East race.