We are nearing the midway point of the 2019 campaign. Obviously, we have a lot of baseball to play, but the way we go into the All-Star break really sets the tone for the second half of the season. Not just the way we bet, but the way teams play down the stretch.
Betting baseball isn’t just a seasonal thing, or a weekly thing, it is a daily thing. If you have made some money thru this point, then maybe it is time to gradually increase your denominations. If you haven’t, there is no crime in decreasing them. Too many bettors out there try to force it. You can’t put two pounds of baloney in a one-pound bag.
Remember, it’s never about one big game. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Take it slow, do it right, be smart and it will be a winning season.
Baseball is all about trends and streaks. To me, it is the streakiest of all the major sports. The last few weeks, we’ve seen some very exciting things happen. The AL East is going to once again be a dogfight. New York, Tampa Bay, and Boston are three incredible squads. If the Red Sox can get their act together at home (I feel they will), the race for division supremacy is going to heat up.
The AL West got a bit tighter as Texas has been winning while Houston has been struggling. We all watched as the Yankees took three of four against the Astros this past week.
While I wouldn’t count Cleveland out just yet in the AL Central, Minnesota is doing what you need to do — win on the road.
Speaking of winning on the road, there is not a single team in the NL Central with a winning road record. The division’s top three teams — Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Louis — are the cream of the crop. But until any or all can start upping their game away from home, it is going to hurt whichever gets to the postseason.
In the East, Atlanta continues to play consistent ball while Philadelphia has dropped nine of its last 10 going into this week’s play. The Bryce Harper watch after 77 games: .248 BA, 13 HR, 52 RBI.
The NL West is basically sewn up as Los Angeles and its current six-game win streak seems unbeatable there. One thing for sure, this season is shaping up to be one of the best we’ve seen in years.
Wednesday
Blue Jays at Yankees: The most loved and hated team in all of baseball is the New York Yankees. Now, I bleed Yankee blue. But, I am not releasing them here with my heart. I am releasing them with my head. Whether you love them or you hate them, you must respect them. This is a team that has battled serious injury issues since the season began and still leads the competitive, AL East with a 49-28 record.
New York currently has five position players, one DH, two SP, and 4 RP all sidelined. Even with the high price you must lay with them daily, they are up 7.26 units overall and 12.47 units on the run line. When playing at Yankee Stadium, they are 28-14, donning a whopping 26-16 RL mark. The Bronx Bombers possess one of the most dangerous lineups in the game, ranking fourth in scoring (5.52 RPG), ninth in Team BA (.259), and sixth in HRs (126). They are going to start James Paxton here. He spent his first six seasons with Seattle, and over the last two, sported a 23-11 record. The left-hander is 5-3 with a 3.75 ERA, fanning 78 batters in 60.0 IP in his first season with New York.
Toronto is in fourth place with a dismal, 29-49 record. But, when you share the division with New York, Tampa Bay, and Boston, I guess it could be worse than being 20.5 GB. They are -14.73 units overall and -14.92 units on the RL. The Jays give Trent Thornton the nod. The righty is 2-5 with a 4.25 mark on the campaign. In his first season in the Majors, Thornton appears to be way over his head here and is primed to get shelled.
The Blue Jays are 2-8 the last 10 at the Yankees and 16-35 the last 51 overall. The Yankees are 40-16 the last 56 vs. the AL East and 41-18 the last 59 overall. YANKEES RUN LINE
Rangers at Tigers: Very quietly the Texas Rangers have taken over second place in the AL West at 42-36, just 6.5 behind the Houston Astros. This is a team that is up 15.68 units overall (+15.12 units on the RL). They are getting the bettors paid.
True, their road record (14-21) isn’t flattering. However, they average over 5.43 RPG on the road. Mike Minor is off to one of the hottest starts in a career that spans 10 years at 7-4 with an ERA of 2.52, striking out 103 batters in 103.2 IP.
Detroit sits in fourth place in the AL Central at 26-47 and started the week 22 games behind the Twins. They have dropped four straight and eight of their last nine. The Tigers are just as bad at home as they are on the road. As a matter of fact, they are one of the AL’s worst home teams, owning a deplorable 11-24 record at Comerica Park, where they post a mere 3.33 RPG.
FYI, visitors put up an astounding, 6.19 RPG when passing thru Detroit. They are -10.93 units overall (-10.18 units on the RL). The Tigers own a 10-25 mark at home this season on the RL.
Matthew Boyd takes the hill here. The left-hander is a respectable 5-5 with a 3.61 ERA. But the former 2013 draft pick is going to get shellacked here while once again be receiving very little run support.
The Rangers are 10-3 the last 13 at the Tigers and 8-3 the last 11 overall vs. the Tigers. The Tigers are 15-36 the last 51 at home and 13-44 the last 57 vs. the AL West. RANGERS RUN LINE
Last week: 1-2
Season: 16-16
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