MLB tidbits Friday, May 24

MLB tidbits – Friday, May 24

Some quick thoughts on today’s MLB card. A couple of sentences detailing some of the stuff we considered when looking for investment opportunities.

Lines per Pinnacle at time when notes posted.

Hopefully this helps your handicapping. We always post rationale with our picks with the goal of helping people graduate from being betting zombies. Read. Consider. Make a wagering decision.


I play everything I say that I like in the write-ups BUT I usually put only a few in blue as recommended plays because a) if you are not playing a low juice book like we are, playing too many games will eat into your profits. Just being honest b) You need to be really conservative with your bankroll betting baseball and that is hard for most people to do. Don’t wanna see peeps to get creamed on a bad day b/c they bet too much.  c) I’m busy with football and like to do this right away and then get on with the day. Sometimes I don’t decide how to play a game until later. Just DM me on Twitter or comment on the post and I can answer any Q you have. Cheers!


Stuff in green notes ideas that are only for people with a higher risk tolerance and have experience with the ups and downs of betting MLB. Chronic whiners and panic-stricken peeps should look away.


Cincinnati at Chicago (2:20 pm)

Cubs -153 Reds +141

The Cubbies have cooled off a bit (5-5 L10) but still boast a strong home mark of 17-8 whilst the Reds are 10-16 on the road…..DeSclafani has struggled in each of his last three starts….Hendricks has been great at home in four starts…..0.62 ERA….18 hits allowed in 29 IP…..23-3 K to BB (!)….Feels like a decent spot to back the Cubs in some shape or form…..Best ideas are probably F5 TT ov 2.5 (+109 at Pinny) and Cubs F5.….Low 60s wind blowing in a bit from RF…..Only one Reds player has a DONG off KH in 151 AB and that is your pal Votto who has turned into a slap-hitting crippled midget this season……just kidding….not really.

Los Angeles at Pittsburgh (7:05 pm)

TBD

Buehler gets the call for LA and he has not allowed more than 3 ER in any start since April 11….Also only 10 BB (!) all season….Our NL CENTRAL INSIDERS seem to think that Stratton is on the hill for the Buccos and that is NOT good news for them…..LA just finished playing in a horrible hitting environment and it doesn’t get much better in Pittsburgh….Stratton should help…..Will be waiting for the LA F5 TT to come out and see if it looks joooocy but just hard to pounce at PNC Park….Player notes…..Josh Bell continues to MURDER baseballs.

Miami at Washington (7:05 pm)

Nats -133 Marlins +123

Just like we thought at the beginning of the season….The Marlins come into this game winners of six (!) consecutive games whilst the Nats have lost 5 in a row…..We will try our best to avoid making a joke about their bullpen for the 11th straight day…….NOPE!……can’t do it…….it’s a fiasco of EPIC PROPORTIONS……non-stop carnage kinda like the final scenes in Django Unchained…..Ahhh….that feels better…..Something called a McGowin goes for the Nats (one career start, 3 IP this season)….Lopez has been ok for the Marlins but two things to note 1) up and down…..3 starts back…..6 SH IP…..next start 10 ER allowed…..last start 7 SH IP…..2) He has an ERA of 1.93 at home and an ERA of 8.03 on the road….Now that one horrid start exaggerates the numbers but the fact remains he has pitched MUCH better at home……Nats are actually hitting pretty well….Feels like some SWEET NATS F5 TEAM TOTAL ACTION is in order….At least we hope it is SWEET ACTION….You can get it OVER 2.5 +108 at Pinny……Nats 10/26 off PL….Fat Adams is 4/5…..Bit of wind blowing in from LF….Temps low 80s tho at first pitch.

San Diego at Toronto (7:07 pm)

Padres -113 Blue Jays +104

Looking forward to this series like FOR REALZIES as we would love to see those Padres find a way into the playoffs….Lucchesi has been pretty solid for SD but does not often go too deep into games….That’s ok as their pen is solid….Thornton has grown on us over the season not a star but does good work most outings…..Line feels a bit short BUT gonna stay clear not sure how the park downgrade (for SD pitchers) will work out…..Player notes….Jays bats heating up….Rowdy Vlad Jr and the SMOAK MONSTER have all hit 3 DINGERS over the past 7 days.

Detroit at New York (7:10 pm)

Mets -283 Tigers +256

You know we avoid games like this even though the line looks a bit rich…..Tigers are playing horrible baseball right now….Mets just swept the Nats….Noah has been good, not great….Something called a Soto on the bump for Los Tigres….Player notes….Detroit has two HR in the last 7 days and lose the DH….Mets bats lukewarm….Alonso 4 BOMBS L7D.

Tampa Bay at Cleveland (7:10 pm)

Rays -129 Indians +119

Yes, guy. Super SP match-up as THE BEEBS and Snell take the mound…..Beebs is coming off an electric start in which he threw a complete game shutout with 15 (!) Ks…..Snell is just generally awesome and looks to be rounding into form…..Rays have been sliding the past few weeks….Indians bats HAVE to wake up at some point amirite……Hmmmmm…..Line might be a touch low but gonna take a pass….Player notes….Tribe hitting .167 off BS (7/42).

Boston at Houston (8:10 pm)

Red Saax -136 Astros +126

Could this be an ALCS preview….?…..Sale gets the call and has been mowing peeps down lately…..10,14,17 and 10 Ks in his last four starts…..Baaastan is just 3-7 in his starts and the Astros are 18-6 at home…..Miley has been very effective 3.51 ERA…..less hits than IP….37-13 K to BB….Boston is a tough lineup to navigate…..And the Astros are on another level most of the time…..Lean to the dog not on it yet…..Player notes……Houston hitting just .206 off CS in 136 AB with just 2 HR….Springer has decent BVP…..Check his status he has missed last 4 games….Red Saaax have hit Miley WICKKIDDD HAAAAARD (.337) in 98 AB…..Mookie and Pearce have good BVP.

Chicago at Minnesota (8:10 pm)

Twins -191 White Sox +175

Minnesota is CRUSHING and KILLING as we go to press……33-16 with a +90 run differential and healthy division lead….Berrios is on the bump and he has been a bit sketchy in his  last two outings (9 ER and 20 hits allowed)…..Twins home off road trip….White Sox have a bit of confidence gonna pass on this bad boy….Player notes……McCann has solid BVP….Twins just 4/41 off Lopez who gets the nod for the White Sox.

Philadelphia at Milwaukee (8:10 pm)

Brewers -133 Phillies +123

Chase Anderson has been ok for the Brewers getting thru 3-5 decent innings…..Eickhoff has been roughed up in his last two starts including once vs these wacky Brewers…..Line feels about right….Will be looking at the totals to see if there is anything worth playing….Player notes….check status of Yelich…..Grandal and Braun both have a pair of TATERS in limited AB off JE…..Phillies hitting .341 (!) off CA in 8 AB and your boy Franco has three HR in 10 AB.

New York at Kansas City (8:15 pm)

Yankees -142 Royals +132

Yanks rolling with an opener strategy and Green will get the call…..It’s been a mixed bag for him in his last 4 “starts”…..Junis is just-a-guy” (JAG) who has an ERA approaching 6 and a PENCHANT for giving up DONGS….Feels like NY or nothing not on anything yet…..Player notes….DFS dudes make sure weather is acceptable…..NY .340 off JJ (47 AB)…..Hicks is an impossible 5/5.

Atlanta at St Louis (8:15 pm)

Cardinals -155 Braves +143

Ok. Enough of this, yo……The Cards better start getting their act together or else the Cubs and Brewers will start OPENING UP…….Mikolas was DECAPITATED in his last outing in Texas as our Analytics Dept predicted…..However, overall he has been pretty good and the Cards are 6-4 in his outings…What about Folty for the Braves?….Are you sitting down……He has given up 10 TATERS in just 27 IP…..how is that even possible?…..HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA…..Price a bit rich STL TT on the short list of potential additions to the card as we go to press……Player notes….Wong has good BVP and overall the Cards are hitting .285 off MF in a big sample.

Baltimore at Colorado (8:40 pm)

Rockies -147 Orioles +136

WHOA, NELLIE…..The Orioles take their crack pitching brigade to Coors Field in what could be appointment television…..Can they hold the Rockies to less than 50 runs in the series???? <grabs popcorn>….Means has been a nice surprise for the Orioles….43 IP 35 hits 34-13 K to BB….Just 6 TATERS allowed…..ERA below 3…..The problem is that any pitcher can get blown to bits at Coors Field and Colorado has lots of lefty MASHERS…..Hoffman was avg in his first start of the year and did not walk a man in his 5 IP vs Wash at home……Orioles will get their runs but we have to think that a team we still think can make the playoffs is a bad bet at less than -150 (at home) vs the Os…..Will take a shot at Colorado ML…..Player notes…..Alberto and Nunez are hitting well….Rockies bats are heating up and keep your eye on McMahon if he gets in the lineup.

Texas at Los Angeles (10:07 pm)

Angels -161 Rangers +147

The Ranges are not the same team away from home and will face Canning who is coming off his best start of the year (7 shutout IP vs a scrappy KC offense)…..Not interested in backing Smyly in any spot….Angels starting to hit better……Player notes…..We hope nobody spills a cup of water in CF or they may have to cancel the game due to unsafe wet grass again.

Seattle at Oakland (10:07 pm)

Athletics -158 Mariners +146

Seattle has taken a left turn into CRAP TOWN after a nice start to the year…..LeBlanc is on the hill for the Ms and he is coming off a start in which he was pounded by the Twins….Mengden rolls for the As….He did a good job vs Los Tigres in his last outing but the Seattle offense is an entirely different animal….Line looks about right…..As have just one TATER in 57 AB vs WL.

Arizona at San Francisco (10:15 pm)

Snakes -129 Giants +119

Robbie Ray has been solid this season BUT we always concerned about that walk total and he now has 29 in just 52 IP…….9 in his last 14 IP (3 starts)…..The Giants aren’t great but they are annoying enough to run up the pitch count and take their chances….Pomeranz also loves to issue free passes (18 in 35 IP) and has been pretty smelly his last three times out…..Line looks about right we will investigate totals….Player notes…….Snakes are DONGLESS in 47 AB vs DP and are playing in a massive gigantic titanic ballpark…..LONGO DONGO Panik and Posey have good BVP.

THANKS for reading! Back on Monday.