Baseball Handicapping Articles

MLB Handicapping: Teams to Watch Closely After Break
by Trevor Whenham - 7/19/2013

We’ve seen nearly 100 games played in this baseball season. That is enough for us to mostly have a sense of which teams are real contenders and which are just passing time until golf season starts. There are some teams at this point every year, though, which will look much different down the stretch than they have up to this point. For bettors, the ability to spot those teams — whether they improve or freefall — is a great way to find value and fatten your bankroll.

MLB Handicapping: Pitchers to Watch Post All-Star Game
by Trevor Whenham - 7/18/2013

As we finish off the MLB all-star break and get ready for the second half of the season (more like the last third, really), it’s a good time to be on the hunt for pitchers who should be able to perform better down the stretch than they have up to this point. Of particular interest are pitchers who have big names but who have been disappointing to bettors — so disappointing that frustration is mounting and public bettors are turning against them.

Pittsburgh Pirates in the Second Half, Buy or Sell?
by Nicholas Tolomeo - 7/17/2013

Mathematically, the second half of the 2013 Major League Baseball season has come and gone. But from a perception standpoint, the Thursday following the All-Star Game is viewed by many as the official start of the second half of the season. There are plenty of surprises and disappointments so far this year, and nobody has turned more heads than the Pittsburgh Pirates.

MLB Top Betting Trends for Friday, July 19
by Dave Schwab - 7/17/2013

While Major League Baseball enjoys a couple of days off as part of its annual all-star break, anyone who enjoys wagering on the games has to be chomping at the bit for the regular season to resume this Friday with a full slate of games. To help get you ready for all the action, the following is a look at some key betting trends for a few of the marquee matchups on this Friday’s schedule (all times EST).

MLB Betting and Handicapping: Totals Trends Report
by Aaron Smith - 7/16/2013

How good are the oddsmakers at setting a posted total in Major League Baseball games? We are now at the all-star break, and there have been a total of 1,358 games played. There have been 679 games finish “over” the posted total. Amazingly, there have been exactly 679 that finished “under” the posted total as well.

MLB Handicapping: Hot/Cold Pitchers and Hitters Betting Report
by Ricky Dimon - 7/16/2013

Jeff Locke (Pirates) – The Pirates have just the second best record in their own division, but they also have the second best record in all of baseball. A big reason for that is Locke, who is 8-2 with a 2.15 E.R.A. The 25-year-old southpaw has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his last starts, and he has not given up more than three earned runs in his last 15 outings. Pittsburgh is +300 to win the NL Central and +850 to make it to the Fall Classic.

Baseball Odds and Prediction: American League Updated Futures
by Alan Matthews - 7/16/2013

The all-star break is naturally a good time to check out some updated season-long baseball props, this time courtesy of Sportsbook.ag. I'll focus on the American League in this story and you should find a National League version already on the site.

2013 MLB All Star Game Props Odds and Betting Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 7/16/2013

There is a good chance for some value here. The American League is heavily favored at -140 here, with the National League at +110. The biggest reason for that is that the American League bats first, of course. The NL isn’t getting enough credit here. Matt Harvey gets the start for the NL — just the fourth pitcher to start an All-Star Game at home since 1961. He’s an incredibly confident and consistent pitcher who is at his best at home, and the crowd will be heavily and enthusiastically on his side.

MLB Odds and Predictions: National League Updated Player Futures
by Alan Matthews - 7/15/2013

Is catcher arguably the most important position on the diamond (not counting pitchers)? I think you can make that case. They are in essence the quarterbacks of a baseball team. Yet why do catchers so rarely win the AL or NL MVP Award? Maybe because it's such a grueling position to play, with all that wear and tear especially on a player's knees, that it's tough for catchers to put up huge offensive numbers.

2013 Home Run Derby Picks and MLB Betting Odds
by Alan Matthews - 7/13/2013

In my opinion, we are about to enter the worst three days of the year on the 2013 sports calendar starting Monday. Why? Major League Baseball is dark for its all-star break, meaning we are essentially left with the WNBA -- wouldn't watch, much less bet on it, if you paid me -- and soccer's Gold Cup. I would have said worst four days of the year, but at least the British Open starts Thursday. How bad is this week?

MLB Handicapping and Betting: The Bullpen Report
by Aaron Smith - 7/10/2013

Doc’s Sports is always looking to give you extra information to help you win. This MLB Bullpen Report will allow us to take a look at the best and worst bullpens in the majors so far in 2013. We’ll take a look at the best and worst bullpens every couple weeks this year. Please note that statistics used in this report are for games played between March 31 and July 8.

MLB Betting and Handicapping: Scouting the Week Ahead
by Alan Matthews - 7/9/2013

Maybe that brawl was the best thing to happen to the Dodgers. They won that game 5-3 – reliever Matt Guerrier getting the win, but he's now with the Cubs via the Carlos Marmol trade – to improve to 28-36. They are now 43-45 after Monday's series opening win.

MLB Handicapping: Hot/Cold Pitchers and Hitters Betting Report
by Ricky Dimon - 7/8/2013

Tampa Bay is failing to make up ground on division-leading Boston, but the Rays have done extremely well to stay within striking distance. Both teams are 8-2 in their last 10 games and Tampa has won four in a row. A big reason for recent success is Matt Moore, who is so good right now that even allowing a single run can be considered a disappointment.

MLB Betting and Handicapping: Totals Trends Report
by Aaron Smith - 7/2/2013

Those who followed the totals trends report early this year may remember that the ‘over’ was running at slightly above 54 percent for the first few weeks of the season. Some bettors were wondering if this would be the year of the ‘over’, but these things seem to always have a way of evening themselves out.

MLB Betting and Handicapping: Scouting the Week Ahead
by Alan Matthews - 7/1/2013

It's pretty clear that the Baltimore Orioles are a totally different club under manager Buck Showalter. And I think the Birds might just win the American League East for the first time since 1997. They are +300 to do so on Sportsbook.ag, behind only first-place Boston (-120).

MLB Handicapping Hot/Cold Pitchers and Hitters Betting Report
by Ricky Dimon - 6/27/2013

Miguel Cabrera doesn’t exactly play by the same rules as everyone else. In order for him to be considered “hot,” he has to be in a different galaxy than all other players – and he is. Cabrera, seeking to win the Triple Crown for a second consecutive season, has a ridiculous 33-point lead in AL batting average and he is five clear of the field in RBI. The Tigers’ superstar is tied for second in homers with 22 behind Baltimore’s Chris Davis (28).

MLB Handicapping and Betting: the Bullpen Report
by Aaron Smith - 6/25/2013

Not all bullpens are created equal. That is a massive understatement, and it is something that baseball bettors figure out very quickly. With some groups, you are almost surprised if they don’t blow the lead. Other bullpens are so steady and consistent that a bettor can rely on them to get the job done.

MLB Betting and Handicapping: Scouting the Week Ahead
by Alan Matthews - 6/24/2013

It's time for me to eat a little crow regarding the Toronto Blue Jays. I have said all season I didn't think they were deserving of being World Series favorites as they were in the spring after landing Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, R.A. Dickey, Josh Johnson, Melky Cabrera and others. Did I think they would be a playoff contender? Certainly. Maybe even win the AL East?

This Week in MLB Baseball Betting By the Numbers
by Aaron Smith - 6/24/2013

The Major League Baseball season is a long one, but there can be a lot of change in a very short amount of time. Since the last installment of this article, the Toronto Blue Jays have gone from an afterthought and major disappointment to a team right in the thick of the American League East race.

MLB Futures: World Series and Pennant Odds
by George Monroy - 6/24/2013

The Major League Baseball season is nearing the half-way point of the year, as most teams have played 70-something games so far. The first half of the season has been filled with a few surprise teams that have played better than expected, but it has also been filled with disappointing ball clubs that have failed to meet expectations.