MLB tidbits – Thursday, May 9
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.
Short slate today. Hope we can find a gem or two in here.
Los Angeles at Detroit (1:10 pm)
Angels -114 Tigers +105
Looks like an opener for LAA (Bard) and it’s the first outing this season for something called Carpenter….Not interested in this game at all…..Angels 5-11 away and Los Tigres 9-7 at home….Player notes….Rodriguez really hot for Detroit….Lucroy and Fletcher have done well the L7D.
Chicago at Cleveland (1:10 pm)
Indians -231 White Sox +211
Line is starting to get a little out of control according to our AL CENTRAL INSIDERS ………Carrasco only has one QS this season and has allowed more hits than IP……Banuelos had been decent before last start when he got TRUCKED by Boston….A bit of perceived value on the Sox but we are taking a seat for this one…..Player notes…..Sox hitting just .188 off CC in 154 AB (!)…..Garcia and McCann are hitting well for the Sox….Indians bats are cold.
Miami at Chicago (2:20 pm)
Cubs -203 Marlins +186
The Cubs battled out another tough win vs the scrappy Marlins last night and now get your boy Darvish to take the mound….It’s a mystery why everyone thinks this dude is still good but we digress….27 BB in 32 IP….That is borderline hilarious……Miami is 0-7 in Richards’ starts this season and just don’t have enough firepower to contend on a daily basis…..Line looks about right waiting to see Yu start pitching against some more divisional foes…..Player notes…..Miami hitting 188 off Yu in 48 AB…..Marlins bats are ice cold…..Cubs killing the baseball L7D especially Bryant….They are ROLLING right now.
San Francisco at Colorado (3:10 pm)
Rockies -143 Giants +132
Let’s try this again….Bad weather short circuited things yesterday….Two SP that have been stttrrrugggglinggg….Holland has had some moments but has allowed 16 BB and 7 DONGS in 32 IP…..Freeland has been a GASCAN, particularly in his last two starts when he was BLOWN TO BITS….Rockies gotta start to get rolling or the Dodgers will be long gone….Maybe they already are?…..Temps in the 30s that tells you why the total is just 9.5…..You know we find these Coors games tough to cap….Slight lean to Rockies but not with that dude on the mound….Player notes…..Rockies hitting .327 off DH in a big sample (110 AB)….Nolan is 4/10 with a 2B and two DONGS…..Desmond has two HR in 11 AB…..Story is 6/13…..Posey and Panik have good BVP….Arenado is HOT…..Blackmon and Tapia are hitting well…..LONGO DONGO is in fine form for SF.
update – going with Rockies F5 TT over 2.5 -123 (Pinny)
Cincinnati at Oakland (3:37 pm)
Athletics -151 Reds +139
The Reds continue to find new ways to lose which is disappointing….Now they face Bassitt for the As who has been REALLY good in his 3 starts to date…..Roark has been decent for the Reds but they are 6-14 away from home……Lean to the As may end up adding them but price is just a weeeeee bit rich….ugh…..Player notes….KD is 3/6 off TR with a 2B and HR…..Dietrich has 4 BOMBS L7D…..As bats are lukewarm overall.
Seattle at New York (6:35 pm)
Yankees -157 Mariners +145
NY can hear the Red Saaaax BREATHING DOWN THEIR NECKS and will try and get back on track today….Happ has been a disappointment and probably has a sore neck from watching all the DONGS leave the yard (9)…..Leake is even worse…..11 (!) BOMBS allowed and this game feels like an over waiting to happen….Not on it yet still figuring out what we are gonna do….Player notes…..DJ is 5/12 off Leake…..WHOA…..how about this….Healy is 3/5 off Happ with THREE DONGS….Beckham has also smashed Happ in the past…..DJ, Urshela and Sanchez hitting well…..Healy and E5 mashing for Seattle.
Pittsburgh at St Louis (7:45 pm)
Cardinals -138 Pirates +128
Line is very sharp…..We love ourselves some sweet STL action when they are at home BUT Wacha has been a GASCAN for most of the season….21 BB in 31 IP….ERA over 5…..STL a bit cold right now 4-6 in their last 10….Musgrove reeled off 5 consecutive QS before getting BOMBED last outing…..Slight lean to STL due to the price (have it lined at -150) but not jooocy enough for us to jump in at this point…..Player notes……..Ozuna 4/9 with two 2B off JM….Kang Frazier and Cervelli have decent BVP vs Wacha Wacha Wacha……Molina and DeJong the hottest Cards….Bell has three DINGERS in the L7D…..Their close to ‘A” lineup is ready to roll.
Texas at Houston (8:10 pm)
Astros -158 Rangers +146
We did not think we would be singing praises for the SPs in this match-up but that’s why MLB is fun….Minor has been an ALL-STAR performer so far for Texas and Miley has not given up more than 3 ER in any start so far this season…..Lean to the Astros as they are 12-4 at home whilst Tex is 5-10 on the road…Just don’t wanna get in front of the MINOR TRAIN…..Player notes….Gurriel has excellent BVP vs MM…..Rangers have only hit 2 BOMBS off WM in 136 AB…..Astros bats hot over L7D….Gurriel raking and four other Astros have 3+ DONGS over the L7D…..Pence is on FIRE right now and should get in the line-up vs a LHP.
Atlanta at Arizona (9:40 pm)
Snakes -106 Braves -102
Really good SP match-up….Soroka has been dynamite so far in 4 starts and has not allowed more than 1 ER in any of them….Weaver has been solid pretty much all season…..Game feels like a coin toss and the line reflects it…..Player notes…..Braves hitting 14/39 off Weaver….Markakis and Acuna have good BVP in small samples….Neither team has a dude on FIRE right now but both teams hitting well overall.
Washington at Los Angeles (10:10 pm)
Dodgers -141 Nats +130
LA is CRUSHING AND KILLING at home (15-4) whilst we smell some HEADS A ROLLING in Washington pretty soon as they have been PURE TRASH…..Injuries? GTFOH….Yankees are doing fine…….Tempted to take LA but Corbin just might be the Nats best starter (?) and it’s never easy to trust Rich “Blisters” Hill……Player notes…..Turner is 12/29 with 5 XBH off Corbin and he TRIPLE DONGED two days ago…..Turner and Muncy are RAKING….Nats pretty much stink.
Enjoy the games and THANKS for reading!