Baseball Handicapping Articles

Free MLB Picks for Best Props Odds: Tuesday April 12, 2016
by Chris Vasile - 4/12/2016

Much like I wrote about for the NCAA Tournament, taking some time off to regroup is usually the first step that leads to a bounce back for bettors. I am hoping the same can be said for me as I laid low over the weekend and need a solid performance today to get me on the right track moving forward.

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Tuesday, April 12, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews - 4/11/2016

To no surprise, Colorado Rockies rookie shortstop Trevor Story won the first National League Player of the Week Award of the season as he became the first player in big-league history to hit seven homers in his first six games in the majors. Those are more dingers than half the teams have thus far. Story's helmet and batting gloves already are in Cooperstown, but Story said the Hall of Fame couldn't have his bat.

MLB Betting Trends: Hot and Cold Baseball Wagers
by Victor Ryan - 4/11/2016

The first week of the MLB season is in the books and that means it's time to unveil a new weekly feature here at Doc Sports. Each week during the regular season, we'll provide to you updates of which teams during the past seven days have been the biggest boons and scourges of bettors. In other words, who's making money and who's losing money.

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Saturday, April 9, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews - 4/8/2016

The Chicago Cubs are awaiting results of an MRI on the knee/ankle of young slugger Kyle Schwarber later Friday. He was involved in a pretty scary looking collision with center fielder Dexter Fowler (who is fine) as they were converging on a ball hit in the gap by Arizona's Jean Segura on Thursday night at Chase Field -- it led to an inside-the-park homer for Segura. Schwarber was carted off but X-rays were negative, so that's a first good sign.

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Friday, April 8, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews - 4/7/2016

The most interesting game on Friday's schedule? Believe it or not, It's probably Colorado's home opener against San Diego. Yes, those two teams are likely to finish in the bottom two spots of the NL West, but they have been big stories early this season. That's because the Padres were just shut out three straight games by the Dodgers. No team had ever gone scoreless over the first 27 innings of a season.

Free MLB Picks for Best Props Odds: Thursday April 7, 2016
by Chris Vasile - 4/7/2016

I went 1-2 on Tuesday, but it should have at least been 1-1-1, with the opportunity for 2-1. I understand it is wrong to moan and groan about what could have been the night before, but let me take a minute and shake my head in disgust at the MLB and their new ridiculous bogus slide-rule. It is because of Buster Posey and Chase Utley that the way the game is played has changed. No more collisions at home-plate and no more breaking up double-plays. Its absurd and the rules need to be re-evaluated ASAP.

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Thursday, April 7, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews - 4/6/2016

One great thing about baseball more so than the NFL, NBA or NHL is that you are more likely in that sport to see something you never have before on a daily basis. Just the way MLB games go and with so many intangibles and odd rules. That happened Tuesday night at Tropicana Field. The Toronto Blue Jays thought they had taken a 4-3 lead in the top of the ninth inning on a throwing error by Tampa Bay second baseman Logan Forsythe while trying to turn a game-ending double play as Jose Bautista slid into second base.

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Wednesday, April 6, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews - 4/5/2016

You 100 percent can't take anything as gospel from one regular-season baseball game, but wow I'd be concerned right now if I bet on the Arizona Diamondbacks to win the NL West and went over their wins total for the 2016 season. I liked the Snakes a fair amount this season with the offseason additions of Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller.

Free MLB Picks for Best Props Odds: Tuesday April 5, 2016
by Chris Vasile - 4/5/2016

We are but a mere two full days into the regular season, and it seems as if we have picked up right where we left off. Bryce Harper is being booed and then hitting home runs, the Blue Jays are scoring five runs per game, Clayton Kershaw is dominating hitters, and the Kansas City Royals are handily beating the Mets. Different season, same results.

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Tuesday, April 5, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews - 4/4/2016

Welcome to my first Opening Line Report of the 2016 baseball season. I will give you the early lines on five specific games every Tuesday-Saturday -- not Mondays because that's usually the lightest day of the week and no Sundays as the games are all early except for the ESPN Sunday night matchup -- with occasional exceptions. Needless to say, it will focus on the starting pitchers for the games, their recent history and guys who might hit them well or poorly.

2016 AL Central Predictions with Futures Odds and Expert Betting Analysis
by Robert Ferringo - 4/2/2016

They may not play great baseball in the American League Central. But one thing they do offer is one of the most competitive, inside-out, upside-down races in all of baseball. Every team in the A.L. Central has won the division at some point in the last decade. And with several teams poised to topple defending champions Kansas City it should make for another intense summer in the Midwest.

2016 NL West Predictions with Futures Odds and Expert Betting Analysis
by Robert Ferringo - 4/2/2016

When I think of the National League West I think of a metal barrel. The type that a hobo would use to start a trash fire in an alley. But instead of burning trash or wood, I picture five men in suits standing around this barrel tossing money onto an open flame.

NBA Odds: Saturday, April 2 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews - 4/1/2016

Probably the stupidest firing of any head coach the past two seasons was the Bulls dumping Tom Thibodeau last offseason, but I touched on that earlier this week. No. 2 in my opinion was Sacramento firing Mike Malone in mid-December 2014. The Kings had started that season 5-1 and were still 11-13 despite losing star DeMarcus Cousins for several games due to an illness when Malone was fired. Malone had the Kings on the right track and he had connected with Cousins like no other coach had.

2016 AL West Predictions with Futures Odds and Expert Betting Analysis
by Robert Ferringo - 3/31/2016

Who would've thought that the addition of Houston a few years ago would've turned the American League West into a potential powerhouse? But with two potential American League pennant favorites and two other potential spoilers, the West should be one of the most balanced and potentially unpredictable divisions in the sport.

2016 NL East Predictions with Futures Odds and Expert Betting Analysis
by Robert Ferringo - 3/25/2016

In my opinion, the National League East is the epitome of what we should expect to see this season across MLB. The East has two powerhouse, well-constructed teams that are looking to compete for the pennant. Then there is a massive gulf and then three other teams that are in the throes of massive rebuilding stages, and those organizations won't be the least bit competitive.

MLB Betting Advice: Lessons Learned from Spring Training
by Trevor Whenham - 3/25/2016

Spring training is an interesting thing from a betting perspective - at least in terms of what it can or can't teach us about what to expect going forward. Sometimes spring can be a sign of things to come - teams that thrive in the spring can go on to have a great season, and teams that struggle in spring can struggle all year. Other times, though, what happens in the spring means nothing - the team that struggles badly in Florida or Arizona is the team that wins the World Series.

2016 AL East Predictions with Futures Odds and Expert Betting Analysis
by Robert Ferringo - 3/23/2016

From 1998 to 2009, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox were the dominant forces in the division, winning 11 of 12 titles. However, since the start of this decade all five teams have taken turns winning the division crown. And as we enter the 2016 season it is a legitimate toss-up as to who will emerge this summer.

MLB Futures Betting Picks: Value Plays for American League Pennant
by Victor Ryan - 3/11/2016

Even with the defending World Series champs, the American League seems to be much more wide-open this year than its National League counterpart. In addition, each of the last two seasons there has been a surprise pennant winner coming out of each league (Mets last year, Royals in 2014). Will that trend continue? If so, here are the two teams that appear most likely to come through at healthy futures odds.

MLB Futures Betting Picks: Value Plays for National League Pennant
by Victor Ryan - 3/9/2016

The National League boasts the three favorites to win the World Series in the Chicago Cubs (4-1), San Francisco Giants (10-1) and New York Mets (12-1). The senior circuit is certainly top-heavy this season, but that doesn't mean there aren't a couple of teams capable of jumping up and claiming the NL pennant at juicy odds. Here are a couple of potential value plays along with their current odds to win the National League crown.

MLB Betting Advice and Tips: Teams that Could Be Pleasant Surprises for Bankroll
by Trevor Whenham - 3/8/2016

Every year we see a team, or a small handful of teams, in baseball that surprises everyone by putting together a much better season than most people expect. The Twins did it last year - and they are masters of it, having twice gone from the bottom of the standings one year to World Series champs the next. The real story, though, was in the state of Texas and the AL West. In 2014 Houston had 70 wins and Texas had 67.