MLB FanDuel Sportsbook Betting Picks Pennsylvania: Lines & Odds – 8/12/19
Friday’s Results: 3-0
All Time Results: 71-77-2, -2.99 Units
Contents
Cleveland Indians +1.5 (-152) vs. Boston Red Sox – 1 Unit
Have had some recent success going with Cleveland starter, Zach Plesac and I’m sticking with the rook. The Indians have quietly moved into a tie for the 4th best record in baseball and shouldn’t be a home underdog with any of their better pitchers going against a non Cy-Young type pitcher.
Plesac (6-3, 3.13 ERA) has allowed 0 earned runs in 2 of his past 3 stars. For the season he has allowed 1 run or less in 7 of his 13 starts, including a solid performance against this Red Sox team on May 28th.
Looking at his season, we might wonder if his stellar statistics are skewed by the fact that he has pitched against the lowly Tigers twice and against the putrid Royals three times. However, if we restrict the data to only his performances against above .500 teams, he still looks good: with a 2-0 record and a 3.63 ERA in 3 starts. Against the Yankees, the best offense in baseball, Plesac allowed 2 earned over 7 innings in a win home back in June.
The Red Sox start probably their most reliable pitcher this year in Edwin Rodriguez, who registered wins in 5 of his last 6 road starts. His consistency keeps me off betting the Indians outright. I have a feeling Rodriguez keeps Boston in the game. Fortunately, if the starting pitchers cancel each other out, I’m backing the side with the best bullpen in the league (Cleveland) against a team with the 15th (Boston).
The Red Sox have endured a brutal stretch of late that has all but wiped out their postseason hopes – and thus World Series dreams. After losing 7 straight to divisional rivals, they inexplicably split back-to-back home series against the Kansas City Royals and the LA Angels.
Conversely, the Indians have moved into a tie for first place in the AL Central after taking 3 of 4 games in Minnesota. The Tribe have now won 26 of their 35 games in July & August.
Terry Francona’s men have taken 4 out of the last 5 match-ups against his former team. Over Francona’s last 5 years in Cleveland, the Indians have only been a home underdog three times to the Red Sox. They have gone 2 up and 1 down in those games.
Two teams moving in opposite directions, yet were still getting the better team at home in an underdog role. Be wary. Maybe I’m missing something – cause this one seems almost too easy.
Houston Astros -1.5 (-174) @ Chicago White Sox – 1 Unit
What a week for Houston. The night after posting a 21-run victory, the Astros suffered the biggest MLB upset in the last 15 years according to ESPN Stats & Information. The Baltimore Orioles getting 4-1 odds got to Justin Verlander early and eventually earned a walk-off victory.
I like the World Series favorite Astros to get that bitter taste out of their mouth with a decisive victory on the South Side tonight.
Greinke will get his second start with the Astros. I played on Greinke on the Astros in his first start in part due to his stellar record in his previous 5 debuts for a new team. In his second 2nd start with a new team Greinke results have been solid: 3-1, with a 3.9 ERA. Good, if less great than his debuts. I like his chances to improve upon that record against this meager White Sox offense.
The White Sox have been home underdogs 11 times since the All Star break. They have scored just 19 runs combined in those games and were shutout in 3 of the last 4.
The Astros, on the other hand, have an embarrassment of riches in their lineup. Rookie, Yordan Alvarez has hit 17 homeruns in 45 games. That’s a Roger Maris-esq pace (59.8 HRs per 162). Alvarez bats 5th in their lineup currently. Carlos Correa – and All Star having his best offensive season – bats behind Alvarez. MVP candidate, George Springer, and defending AL MVP Jose ALtuve bat in front of him. There is nowhere to hide.
Don’t know much about rookie, White Sox starter Dylan Cease (2-4, 6.00 ERA) but looking at this match-up I get the feeling that by the end of the night Dylan might be D-Cease’d.
Texas Rangers +102 @ Toronto Blue Jays – 1 Unit
Fading the Blue Jays remarkable run since trading away some of their best players at the deadline. The last place Blue Jays have won 10 of their last 16 games, beating the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays twice each over that span.
21 year-old Bo Bichette has hit the scene with a bang, doubling in a Blue Jays record 9 straight games. With all of the recognition comes extra attention and preparation from opposing pitchers. Since posting that newsworthy mark, Bichette has gone only 2-10 with no extra base hits. Fellow Blue Jays rookie phenom, Vlad Guerrero Jr. has gone just 3 for his last 19.
After a rough June and beginning of July, Rangers starter Ariel Jurado has been turning it around of late. Jurado (6-7, 4.74) has given up only 8 runs in his last 3 starts, and held a dangerous Cleveland team to only three hits over 7 innings in his last start. The Blue Jays have scored some notable upsets recently – but they have won just 16 of their last 50 games against teams with a winning record.
The larger sample size of the Blue Jays season is more representative of their ability than their recent spurt. Taking the Rangers as slight road dogs.