MLB Picks: Parlays, Expert Predictions, Best Bets and Player Props.

Marlins at Padres Picks and MLB Betting Odds
by Alan Matthews - 5/6/2013

It's the series we've been waiting all baseball season for: Marlins at Padres in a huge three-game set that begins Monday night at Petco Park. Yeah, not so much. But anyone can preview the big games in MLB -- it takes talent and determination to dig up relevant betting facts on two dregs of the league. Hey, this game could determine the top pick in the 2014 draft! One never knows.

Dodgers at Giants Picks and MLB Betting Odds
by Alan Matthews - 5/3/2013

The Dodgers and Giants, arguably the biggest rivals in the National League and the co-+140 NL West favorites at Sportsbook.ag, begin a three-game series on Friday night in L.A.'s first visit of the season to AT&T Park. Neither leads the division, with San Francisco a game behind the first-place Rockies and Los Angeles in fourth and 3.5 games back.

Cardinals at Brewers Picks and MLB Betting Odds
by Dave Schwab - 5/2/2013

The St. Louis Cardinals kick off an extended four-game weekend series this Thursday night when they head to Miller Park to face the Central Division rival Milwaukee Brewers. Game 1 is set to get underway at 8:10 p.m. (ET), and it will be available on MLB Extra Innings.

Astros at Yankees Picks and MLB Betting Odds
by Alan Matthews - 5/1/2013

I'm really rather bummed out that the Houston Astros and Miami Marlins don't play this year in interleague play for the crown of worst team in baseball. At least the Marlins have Giancarlo Stanton (well, he's on the DL now); Houston might be the most no-name team in recent baseball history. Do you realize the Astros have not been favored in a game yet? The closest they have come was as essentially a “pick'em” for an April 24 home game against Seattle in which Houston won 10-3. The Astros have won two series all year, and the Mariners were the victim in both.

Red Sox at Blue Jays Picks and MLB Betting Odds
by Dave Schwab - 4/30/2013

The Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays will meet for the second time this season at the Rogers Centre starting this Tuesday night in the first of a three-game AL East showdown. Game 1 is slated to get underway at 7:07 p.m. (ET), and it will be available on MLB Extra Innings.

Giants at Diamondbacks Picks and MLB Betting Odds
by Alan Matthews - 4/29/2013

It was always expected that the San Francisco Giants would struggle offensively this year. They weren't a great offensive team a year ago on the way to winning their second World Series in three years. The Giants won largely because of their pitching -- well, NL MVP Buster Posey certainly deserves some credit -- and it was presumed that group again would have to carry the team in 2013 after it didn't add any big bats via free agency or trade this offseason. However, the Giants enter Monday's series opener in Arizona at 13-12 and on an MLB-high five-game losing streak largely because their pitching is struggling.

Rays at White Sox Picks and MLB Betting Odds
by Alan Matthews - 4/27/2013

The Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago White Sox are in the same boat entering Saturday's Game 3 of their series at U.S. Cellular Field on Chicago's South Side. Now, of course, the franchises as a whole aren't in the same boat. The Rays are on a shoestring payroll (around $57 million) in a dilapidated stadium but have what is considered perhaps the best front office in the game. They are rich in young talent throughout the organization, especially pitching. Tampa Bay should be good for a while despite financial limitations.

Braves at Tigers Picks and MLB Betting Odds
by Alan Matthews - 4/26/2013

The Braves and Tigers franchises have never met in the World Series, but as things currently stand that's the Fall Classic matchup oddsmakers favor this October. The two teams open a three-game interleague series in the Motor City on Friday night -- they haven't played since 2010, and this will only be Atlanta's second-ever visit to Detroit (2004).

Blue Jays at Yankees Picks and MLB Betting Odds
by Dave Schwab - 4/25/2013

The Toronto Blue Jays will make their first visit of the season to Yankees Stadium for an extended four-game weekend set against New York starting Thursday night. Game 1 of this AL East showdown is slated to get underway at 7:10 p.m. (ET), and it will be broadcast nationally on the MLB Network.

Brewers at Padres Picks and MLB Betting Odds
by Alan Matthews - 4/24/2013

Milwaukee opened a three-game series in San Diego on Monday night -- and six-game West Coast trip -- with a 7-1 blowout of the Padres for its eighth straight win after a 2-8 start. With Brewers ace Yovani Gallardo on the mound for Tuesday's Game 2, things were looking good for Milwaukee to win No. 9 in a row for the first time in 10 years -- which was also the last time it had a double-digit winning streak, a possibility on Wednesday.

Dodgers at Mets Picks and MLB Betting Odds
by Dave Schwab - 4/23/2013

The Los Angeles Dodgers will pay its first visit of the season to Citi Field this Tuesday night for the first of three games against the New York Mets. Game 1 is set to get underway at 7:10 p.m. (ET), and it will be available on MLB Extra Innings.

Cardinals at Nationals Picks and MLB Betting Odds
by Alan Matthews - 4/22/2013

The last time the St. Louis Cardinals were on the field at Nationals Park, it was one of the most memorable wins in team and baseball history. In the deciding Game 5 of last year's National League Division Series, the wild-card Cardinals were down 6-0 to the NL East champion Nats after just three innings. Washington still led 7-5 entering the top of the ninth and closer Drew Storen was a strike away -- twice -- from finishing the series.

Athletics at Rays Picks and MLB Betting Odds
by Alan Matthews - 4/19/2013

I don't know if you've seen the movie "Moneyball" about Oakland A's GM Billy Beane, but it's one of the best sports movies ever made. Beane caused a statistical revolution in the game with his use of statistical analytics when determining which players to sign, but, while successful, it still never got Oakland an AL pennant. Could that change this year?

Braves at Pirates Picks and MLB Betting Odds
by Dave Schwab - 4/18/2013

The Atlanta Braves and the Pittsburgh Pirates will get an early jump on the weekend when the two kick off an extended four-game series at PNC Park this Thursday night. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m. (ET), and it will be available on MLB Extra Innings.

Tigers at Mariners Picks and MLB Betting Odds
by Alan Matthews - 4/17/2013

The Seattle Mariners were almost comically bad offensively the past four seasons, sitting at the bottom of the American League in runs all four years and easily totaling the fewest of any major-league team overall in that span.

Giants at Brewers Picks and MLB Betting Odds
by Dave Schwab - 4/16/2013

The San Francisco Giants head to Miller Park this week for a three-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers. Tuesday night’s Game 1 is set to get underway at 8:10 p.m. (ET), and it will be available on MLB Extra Innings. The Giants’ MLB title defense has gotten off to a solid start with a 9-4 record in the first two weeks of play.

White Sox at Blue Jays Picks and MLB Betting Odds
by Alan Matthews - 4/15/2013

It's only two weeks into the regular season, so I don't want to get carried away here, but I never really understood why so many people were jumping on the Toronto Blue Jays bandwagon this offseason and why they were made the betting favorites to win the World Series for a while.

Phillies at Marlins Picks and MLB Betting Odds
by Alan Matthews - 4/12/2013

I think everyone expected that the Miami Marlins were going to be pretty darn bad this year after the offseason fire sale sent the likes of Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Josh Johnson and Heath Bell packing for prospects. The Fish were the story of the previous offseason as owner Jeffrey Loria spent big with the team moving into the sparkling Marlins Park. But the team stunk and the fans still stayed away, so Miami opened this season with a $31.6 million payroll compared to $100 million in 2012.

Rangers at Mariners Picks and MLB Betting Odds
by Dave Schwab - 4/11/2013

The Texas Rangers travel to Safeco Field this Thursday night for the first of a four-game weekend series against the Seattle Mariners. This AL West matchup is slated to get underway at 9:10 p.m. (ET), and the game will be broadcast on MLB.TV.

Orioles at Red Sox Picks and MLB Betting Odds
by Alan Matthews - 4/10/2013

I realize the 2013 Major League Baseball season is barely a week old, but it already looks like both the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles are what I thought they would be. The teams had a rare off day Tuesday before resuming their three-game series Wednesday night at Fenway.