This is pretty much what I posted in Blondie's thread earlier this morning.
I like the Pittsburgh Pirates +120 with Erik Bedard over the Arizona Diamondbacks and Joe Saunders, and here is why.
Don't let the 0-2 record fool you. Bedard's ERA in his first two starts is a tidy 2.25, and his WHIP ratio is not eye popping, but it's still better than league average at 1.33 against Philly and LAD earlier this month.
I've always liked Bedard's stuff in the AL, I follow the Yankees, I have seen Bedard pitch often in the AL East, and his stuff has always impressed me.
Forget those 8 starts he made for Boston last year, that middle of the season, three team trade to Boston messed him up, that was tough on him, even still he struck out 38 in 38 innings in his short stint as a Red Sox.
Before that trade, as a Mariner, he was stellar last year solid WHIP ratio 1.28, solid ERA 3.62
Bedard's career numbers, while pitching for pretty much crappy teams are solid also, in 9 seasons, his ERA and WHIP ratio's are better than league averages 1.31 and 3.68, his won loss record is over .500 which is impressive considering who he has pitched for in the previous nine years, and he's a strike out pitcher, a good one, striking out almost nine a game, and I belong to the "strikeout pitchers are sexy' club.
Now he's in the National League, so the sample size of the batters he's going to face tonight is not large, but this is encouraging.
Hill has hit him a little, but look at the strike outs too.
Joe Saunders starts for the D-Backs, I understand his first start was solid, but it was San Diego and that Little League line up, and with the exception of that 17-7 2008 year as an Angel, his career has been lackluster at best. Throw out that season, his WHIP ratio for his career pitching in a weak hitting AL West division mind you is a poor 1.45 and ERA of about 4.50 (give or take)
He's not a strike out pitcher, Pirates (even though they are currently not setting the world on fire) have enough sticks to beat Saunders, are coming off a nice underdog win yesterday, and it's always a good bet to bet a dog coming off a win as a dog. I could post those numbers too, but I really don't want to turn this into War and Peace.
McCuthchen is hitting, Neil Walker's bat is waking up now, Presley at the top of the order is sound, the Pirates can run the bases, and have, like I said, enough offense to rough up the rotund Joe Saunders.
I personally think the public takes a beating on this game, the perceived line is low for the D-Backs -130/+120 (but I believe the line is correct) so I personally think the casual fan will run to the betting window laying what they think is a very affordable -130 for a 6-3 Diamondback team *at home* against what they perceive to be a crappy 3-6 Pirate team on the road.
I can read Joe Public's mind right now, "I can't believe the 6-3 Diamondbacks are only -130 at home against a crappy 3-6 road Pirates,
I got 400 to win 300 on this easy matchup"
I personally think Joe Public's thinking in this match up tonight is flawed.
1) D-Backs are a square bet tonight.
2) Bedard matches up very well against Saunders.
3) Pirates bats should smack Saunders.
Take the Pirates over the Snakes, you won't get rich at +120, but I like them in this spot tonight. I do
I like the Pittsburgh Pirates +120 with Erik Bedard over the Arizona Diamondbacks and Joe Saunders, and here is why.
Don't let the 0-2 record fool you. Bedard's ERA in his first two starts is a tidy 2.25, and his WHIP ratio is not eye popping, but it's still better than league average at 1.33 against Philly and LAD earlier this month.
I've always liked Bedard's stuff in the AL, I follow the Yankees, I have seen Bedard pitch often in the AL East, and his stuff has always impressed me.
Forget those 8 starts he made for Boston last year, that middle of the season, three team trade to Boston messed him up, that was tough on him, even still he struck out 38 in 38 innings in his short stint as a Red Sox.
Before that trade, as a Mariner, he was stellar last year solid WHIP ratio 1.28, solid ERA 3.62
Bedard's career numbers, while pitching for pretty much crappy teams are solid also, in 9 seasons, his ERA and WHIP ratio's are better than league averages 1.31 and 3.68, his won loss record is over .500 which is impressive considering who he has pitched for in the previous nine years, and he's a strike out pitcher, a good one, striking out almost nine a game, and I belong to the "strikeout pitchers are sexy' club.
Now he's in the National League, so the sample size of the batters he's going to face tonight is not large, but this is encouraging.
Hill has hit him a little, but look at the strike outs too.
| ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS CAREER STATISTICS VS. ERIK BEDARD | ||||||||||||
| BATTER | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Henry Blanco | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Willie Bloomquist | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .286 | .286 | .286 | .571 |
| Geoff Blum | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Stephen Drew | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Aaron Hill | 20 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 | .300 | .333 | .300 | .633 |
| Jason Kubel | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .143 | .333 | .143 | .476 |
| John McDonald | 13 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | .308 | .357 | .385 | .742 |
| Lyle Overbay | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .231 | .286 | .308 | .593 |
| Chris Young | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Totals | 70 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 13 | .229 | .276 | .257 | .533 |
Joe Saunders starts for the D-Backs, I understand his first start was solid, but it was San Diego and that Little League line up, and with the exception of that 17-7 2008 year as an Angel, his career has been lackluster at best. Throw out that season, his WHIP ratio for his career pitching in a weak hitting AL West division mind you is a poor 1.45 and ERA of about 4.50 (give or take)
He's not a strike out pitcher, Pirates (even though they are currently not setting the world on fire) have enough sticks to beat Saunders, are coming off a nice underdog win yesterday, and it's always a good bet to bet a dog coming off a win as a dog. I could post those numbers too, but I really don't want to turn this into War and Peace.
McCuthchen is hitting, Neil Walker's bat is waking up now, Presley at the top of the order is sound, the Pirates can run the bases, and have, like I said, enough offense to rough up the rotund Joe Saunders.
I personally think the public takes a beating on this game, the perceived line is low for the D-Backs -130/+120 (but I believe the line is correct) so I personally think the casual fan will run to the betting window laying what they think is a very affordable -130 for a 6-3 Diamondback team *at home* against what they perceive to be a crappy 3-6 Pirate team on the road.
I can read Joe Public's mind right now, "I can't believe the 6-3 Diamondbacks are only -130 at home against a crappy 3-6 road Pirates,
I got 400 to win 300 on this easy matchup"
I personally think Joe Public's thinking in this match up tonight is flawed.
1) D-Backs are a square bet tonight.
2) Bedard matches up very well against Saunders.
3) Pirates bats should smack Saunders.
Take the Pirates over the Snakes, you won't get rich at +120, but I like them in this spot tonight. I do
, sound reasoning.
. I'd take the Dbacks.
first inning guy stfu Im above you in picking baseball winners