MLB Betting: Strasburg Debut Highlights Week 10 Betting Action
Washington Nationals top prospect Stephen Strasburg is set to make his career debut on Tuesday, adding extra hype to Week 10 of the 2010 MLB season.
Under normal conditions an early week Cardinals Dodgers series and the return of interleague play would grab the baseball marquee for the upcoming week. But these aren't normal conditions.
The Nationals are set to call up their prized possession on Tuesday, one Mr. Stephen James Strasburg. As quick a rise through the Washington system as he's made, his dominance of minor league hitters this season still leaves you wondering why the Nats waited this long.
The answer to that is easy: Baseball's free agent rules, aka money. Washington has already given the top pick from last year's draft $15.1 million for four years. Strasburg's start to the season in the minors will give the Nats a little extra time to keep the All-American from San Diego State under their 'control' just a tad longer.
Washington has fallen back in the NL East, dropping three if its last 11 and 19 of the previous 28 after Sunday's kick-in-the-gut 5-4 loss in 10 innings to the Reds. Still, the Nationals are up over 6.5 units at the betting windows.
Strasburg will take to a major league mound for the first time Tuesday. He'll be in front of the home fans at Nationals Park and will be squaring off against Jeff Karstens (3-1, 4.50) and the Pittsburgh Pirates. It's as much hype for an MLB rookie on a national scale as I can recall, even bigger than Mark Prior's MLB debut in May 2002.
Since it's unlikely this guy will ever pitch again in the minors – Until he makes his first DL rehab appearance later on down the road – Strasburg ends his Bush League days with the following numbers:
He averaged around 71 pitches and five innings per minor league outing. I would think that six innings and 80 pitches might be his top-end while he's up in the bigs. If the Nats are sill in it come early-to-mid September, then Kastens will be under the spotlight to pitch Strasburg more.
The baseball betting lines will be interesting to follow, to say the least. Unless he matches up with Zack Greinke (2-10) in an interleague game with the Royals (June 21-23), Strasburg's first game as the underdog might not come until June 28-30 in Atlanta.
Interleague resurfaces
Love it or hate it, bet it or not, interleague play returns this weekend for it's summer two-week trip through the schedule. Here are my picks for the key series to get interleague play going.
Astros at Yankees
Hey, I had to include my beloved 'Stros though they do blow this year. This isn't a crucial series, unless the Yankees beat themselves. But there is the little matter of Houston facing Andy Pettitte (9-2, 2.47) in Friday's series opener. Brett Myers (7-5, 3.04) will oppose the one-time Astro.
White Sox at Cubs
Two underachieving teams to date, but still a big series. Jake Peavy (5-7, 5.90) is in line for the South Siders to start the set, with Randy Wells (6-6, 4.40) due up for the home nine from the North Side.
Braves at Twins
A pair of division leaders meet on a brand new field in Minneapolis. The series begins with Tim Hudson (7-5, 2.44) facing Francisco Liriano (7-4, 3.10).
Blue Jays at Rockies
Toronto, the top home-run hitting team in the majors, will be at Coors Field over the weekend. That's enough reason to sit up and take notice. The Blue Jays will, however, be facing the top pitcher in the big leagues to start the series when Ubaldo Jimenez (11-1, 0.93, June 6) takes to the hill on Friday. Lefty Ricky Romero (8-4, 3.06) is slated to start for the Jays.
NOTE: The W-L records shown for starting pitchers are their team's W-L mark when they started games in the 2010 season. Statistical sources for this article were Retrosheet.org, Baseball-Reference.com, ESPN.com and, of course, S-BEE-R-dot-com!
Washington Nationals top prospect Stephen Strasburg is set to make his career debut on Tuesday, adding extra hype to Week 10 of the 2010 MLB season.
Under normal conditions an early week Cardinals Dodgers series and the return of interleague play would grab the baseball marquee for the upcoming week. But these aren't normal conditions.
The Nationals are set to call up their prized possession on Tuesday, one Mr. Stephen James Strasburg. As quick a rise through the Washington system as he's made, his dominance of minor league hitters this season still leaves you wondering why the Nats waited this long.
The answer to that is easy: Baseball's free agent rules, aka money. Washington has already given the top pick from last year's draft $15.1 million for four years. Strasburg's start to the season in the minors will give the Nats a little extra time to keep the All-American from San Diego State under their 'control' just a tad longer.
Washington has fallen back in the NL East, dropping three if its last 11 and 19 of the previous 28 after Sunday's kick-in-the-gut 5-4 loss in 10 innings to the Reds. Still, the Nationals are up over 6.5 units at the betting windows.
Strasburg will take to a major league mound for the first time Tuesday. He'll be in front of the home fans at Nationals Park and will be squaring off against Jeff Karstens (3-1, 4.50) and the Pittsburgh Pirates. It's as much hype for an MLB rookie on a national scale as I can recall, even bigger than Mark Prior's MLB debut in May 2002.
Since it's unlikely this guy will ever pitch again in the minors – Until he makes his first DL rehab appearance later on down the road – Strasburg ends his Bush League days with the following numbers:
- 11 starts
- 7-2 personal record (8-3 team)
- 55 1/3 innings
- 1.30 ERA
- 0.795 WHIP
- 65 strikeouts
- 13 walks
- 1 home run (by Rene Rivera for trivia buffs)
He averaged around 71 pitches and five innings per minor league outing. I would think that six innings and 80 pitches might be his top-end while he's up in the bigs. If the Nats are sill in it come early-to-mid September, then Kastens will be under the spotlight to pitch Strasburg more.
The baseball betting lines will be interesting to follow, to say the least. Unless he matches up with Zack Greinke (2-10) in an interleague game with the Royals (June 21-23), Strasburg's first game as the underdog might not come until June 28-30 in Atlanta.
Interleague resurfaces
Love it or hate it, bet it or not, interleague play returns this weekend for it's summer two-week trip through the schedule. Here are my picks for the key series to get interleague play going.
Astros at Yankees
Hey, I had to include my beloved 'Stros though they do blow this year. This isn't a crucial series, unless the Yankees beat themselves. But there is the little matter of Houston facing Andy Pettitte (9-2, 2.47) in Friday's series opener. Brett Myers (7-5, 3.04) will oppose the one-time Astro.
White Sox at Cubs
Two underachieving teams to date, but still a big series. Jake Peavy (5-7, 5.90) is in line for the South Siders to start the set, with Randy Wells (6-6, 4.40) due up for the home nine from the North Side.
Braves at Twins
A pair of division leaders meet on a brand new field in Minneapolis. The series begins with Tim Hudson (7-5, 2.44) facing Francisco Liriano (7-4, 3.10).
Blue Jays at Rockies
Toronto, the top home-run hitting team in the majors, will be at Coors Field over the weekend. That's enough reason to sit up and take notice. The Blue Jays will, however, be facing the top pitcher in the big leagues to start the series when Ubaldo Jimenez (11-1, 0.93, June 6) takes to the hill on Friday. Lefty Ricky Romero (8-4, 3.06) is slated to start for the Jays.
NOTE: The W-L records shown for starting pitchers are their team's W-L mark when they started games in the 2010 season. Statistical sources for this article were Retrosheet.org, Baseball-Reference.com, ESPN.com and, of course, S-BEE-R-dot-com!
