Baseball Handicapping Articles

2010 MLB Futures Betting - MLB Futures Predictions
by T.O. Whenham - 4/1/2010

As hard as it is to believe, the baseball season starts this weekend. From now until October we'll have baseball to watch, and to bet on, virtually every day. Before the season even starts we can entertain ourselves, and get ready for the season in the process, by looking for good value in props and futures. Here are ten bets that look to have value in my eyes (all odds are from Bodog):

MLB Betting: A.L. MVP Odds and Predictions
by Matt Severance - 3/31/2010

If you read my NL MVP betting predictions article, you saw that only three teams – the Cardinals, Giants and Phillies – had claimed MVP winners in the past decade. That’s in large part due to the dominance of Barry Bonds and then Albert Pujols.

MLB Betting: NL MVP Odds and Predictions
by Matt Severance - 3/30/2010

Considering that Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent have long retired, I’m guessing a Giant won’t win another NL MVP this year – more on betting on pitchers at the bottom. But Pujols is so ridiculously good that he’s the 2/1 favorite on Bodog to win it for the third straight year and fourth in six. And I really can’t give one tangible reason why you shouldn’t bet on him, other than the lousy payoff (did you know Pujols actually led the Cards in steals last year too?).

MLB Home Run Leader Odds and Predictions
by Matt Severance - 3/23/2010

Chicks dig the long ball (OK, that’s probably out of style), and so do many prop bettors. Thus, it’s that time of year to take a look ahead to who might be the 2010 regular-season home run leader in baseball with some odds and predictions. BetUS has odds out on the top competitors, and here’s my advice on a few to take a shot on and a few to avoid.

MLB Betting: 2010 NL Central Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 3/12/2010

The last time that the Cardinals won more than 90 games (they actually won 100) they suffered a precipitous drop of 17 games the next year…but still won the division. Three crowns in five years and, as the overwhelming favorite in 2010, it looks like St. Louis has as tight of a stranglehold on their division as any team in baseball.

Baseball Handicapping: Spring Training Betting
by T.O. Whenham - 3/11/2010

It seems hard to believe if, like me, you live somewhere where there is still snow on the ground, but spring training is underway. For the next month teams will play every day to get ready for the season - so that they can play pretty much every day for almost six months. That relentless consistency is part of what makes betting on baseball so attractive. If you like betting on baseball then you'll want to get started as soon as you can, and that means betting on spring training.

MLB Handicapping: Spring Training as Season Prep
by T.O. Whenham - 3/11/2010

You can bet on spring training if you want to, but for the most part I'd rather keep my bankroll intact and ready for the regular season when games actually matter and value isn't as hard to find. That doesn't mean that spring training isn't important for bettors, though. Just like the players are using the spring to get into game shape and get ready for the season, you can use it to get into fighting form and get ready to make a healthy profit during the season. Here are seven ways you can use the spring to get ready to spot value during the season:

MLB Betting: What Does Nathan’s Injury Mean to Twins?
by Matt Severance - 3/10/2010

If you root for any small-market baseball team, you almost have to feel sorry for the Minnesota Twins already in 2010. The Twins are opening the new Target Field this season and were able to actually spend a few dollars this offseason (upping their payroll to $96 million) in acquiring J.J. Hardy from Milwaukee to play shortstop, signing free agent Orlando Cabrera to fill a hole at second base and Jim Thome to be a backup DH and power lefty hitter off the bench.

MLB Betting: 2010 NL East Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 3/8/2010

With the exception of the Philadelphia Phillies, the National League East may be the biggest “if” division in baseball: “If the Mets ever get their stars back and healthy they could have a great year.” “If the Braves can avoid the injury bug and keep their aging veterans on the field they could make a run at a Wild Card spot.”

MLB Betting: 2010 NL West Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 3/8/2010

You know, after a while you would think that someone in the National League West would try to mix it up and go “off script” in order to win the division. But not this year. Not any year. The same teams are following the same game plan and the result is the same unpredictable National League West.

MLB Betting: 2010 A.L. East Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 3/5/2010

Baltimore, Tampa and Toronto are a combined 173-262 against the Yankees and Red Sox over the last four years. Only one time of a possible 12 – Toronto in 2006 – did any of those teams manage a winning record on the year against The Bosses.

MLB Betting: 2010 A.L. Central Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 3/5/2010

Three different organizations – Minnesota, Chicago and Cleveland - have won the American League Central in the last three years. And looking around the rosters of the Central squads this year I can say that I see a lot of question marks and not a lot of separation between the clubs. Here is Doc's Sports 2010 American League Central preview:

MLB Betting: 2010 A.L. West Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 3/3/2010

Last season Seattle, Texas, Oakland and the Los Angeles Angels each turned a profit. That was just the third time in at least the last 10 years (as far back as I have records on this topic) that at least four teams turned a profit from the same division.

Hot MLB Prop: First Manager To Be Fired in 2010
by Matt Severance - 3/2/2010

BetUS already has its 2010 list of likely unemployed candidates posted, but let’s look back at 2009 for a second. The Nationals’ Manny Acta (at 2/1) was the big favorite to be the first to get a pink slip last year, followed by the Rangers’ Ron Washington and Astros’ Cecil Cooper. Well, Acta and Cooper both eventually got the boot, but it was Arizona’s Bob Melvin (at 20/1) who was the first to go, in early May.

AL Divisional Series Predictions: Yankees Vs. Twins
by Robert Ferringo - 10/7/2009

Congratulations Minnesota! You just won a modern October classic against Detroit on Tuesday to earn the American League Central crown and a ticket to the "real" playoffs. Your prize is…wait for it...a trip to the Bronx to face the best team in baseball.

NL Divisional Series Predictions: Cardinals Vs. Dodgers
by Robert Ferringo - 10/7/2009

It all just seems too easy, right? Of the three playoff series that begin today the two teams that seem to be penciled in to the League Championship Series are the New York Yankees (over the Twins) and the St. Louis Cardinals over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

NL Divisional Series Predictions: Phillies Vs. Rockies
by Robert Ferringo - 10/7/2009

One of the best bets in all of baseball over the last decade-plus has been that the NL Wild Card team is going to spring an upset in the Divisional Series. Over the last 12 years the NL Wild Cards have gone an impressive 8-4 in the NLDS and that includes a stellar 5-2 mark in the opening round over the last seven years. And one of those losses for the WCs took place last year when the Phillies bushwhacked the upstart Milwaukee Brewers.

AL Divisional Series Predictions: Angels Vs. Red Sox
by Robert Ferringo - 10/6/2009

For the majority of this decade the American League has been a big game of scissors, paper, rock. The New York Yankees (rock) can't beat the Los Angeles Angels (paper). The Angels (paper) can't beat the Boston Red Sox (scissors). And the Red Sox (scissors) can't beat the Yankees (rock).

MLB Handicapping: Minnesota Looks for Magic on Second Straight Night
by Robert Ferringo - 10/6/2009

An emotional Monday Night Football win by Minnesota over Green Bay last night the Metrodome will likely be the staging point for another rowdy, bare-chested, beer-infused mob this evening for perhaps an even more emotional Major League Baseball playoff game.

MLB One-Game Playoff Preview: Tigers at Twins
by T.O. Whenham - 10/5/2009

It took forever, but the last month of the baseball season has finally provided some drama. The dullest pennant drive in memory has wrapped up with a tie in the AL Central between the Twins and the Tigers. That means that we get to watch the cruelest event in sports on Tuesday afternoon - the one game baseball playoff. Baseball is all about long series that eventually prove the best team, so these one game series are very difficult to assess and handicap.