All baseball wagers will be based on winning $100 on favorites and risking $100 on underdogs. Lines are taken from Pinnacle Sportsbook. Plays are NO ACTION if starters mentioned in the writeup do not start.
Season Record: 0-0
After looking over the games for over three hours last night and this morning, I have only two selections. Here goes..
Chicago White Sox -111 ($111 to win $100) --- Going to back the Sox in this one for a few reasons. Buehrle had a very impressive Spring Training in which he was 3-1 with a 2.73 e.r.a. He threw 26.1 innings and allowed 28 hits, 8 ER, had 14 striekouts and only 1 walk. Very impressive stats. I think he is becomming a top notch starter. In my opinion, his mound counterpart today is not of #1 quality. The Royals have an exciting offensive nucleus, but Brian Anderson does not strike fear in the eyes of opposing teams, especially on Opening Day. This is a guy who is 3 years removed from being the #6 starter for the Diamondbacks and has a history of allowing home runs in bunches. The White Sox have a lineup that can take advantage and should hit well at KC's ballpark. Anderson did not enjoy the Spring as much as Buerhle did. He was 0-2 with a 6.75 e.r.a. and allowed 27 hits and 15 ER in only 20 innings of work. He did have a nice 3/1 ration on K's to Walks, but at 9/3 is nothing compared to Buerhle's 14/1. Royals got off to a hot start last season and played very well at home, but I think this is a tough opening day matchup for them. I will lay the small price with the White Sox.
Cleveland Indians +128 ($100 to win $128) --- Everyone rags on the Tribe saying they suck and all, but I see a team with some exciting young players. They send their ace to the mound today and he's a tough young lefty named Sabathia. He had a decent Spring going 0-1 with a 3.00 e.r.a. He allowed just 14 hits and 6 ER in 18 innings. He struck out 12 and walked 6. Radke gets the start for the Twins and he had a rocky Spring. He was 1-0, but had a 6.63 e.r.a. in 19 innings of work. He allowed 24 hits and 9 ER while striking out 9 and walking 0. He's always had great control and reminds me of Maddux, but does not quite get the movement on his pitches that Maddux gets. The stat that hurts him is the 6 HR allowed in just 19 innings, that's almost a dinger every three innings. Which means, if thos averages prove correct and he goes 6 or 7 innings that he should give up two longballs. It would be nice if this holds true and if there are multiple guys on base for the Tribe when it happens. I really think the Tribe's offense is going to turn some heads this season. Hopefully they'll get off to a good start.
DA BOMB
Season Record: 0-0
After looking over the games for over three hours last night and this morning, I have only two selections. Here goes..
Chicago White Sox -111 ($111 to win $100) --- Going to back the Sox in this one for a few reasons. Buehrle had a very impressive Spring Training in which he was 3-1 with a 2.73 e.r.a. He threw 26.1 innings and allowed 28 hits, 8 ER, had 14 striekouts and only 1 walk. Very impressive stats. I think he is becomming a top notch starter. In my opinion, his mound counterpart today is not of #1 quality. The Royals have an exciting offensive nucleus, but Brian Anderson does not strike fear in the eyes of opposing teams, especially on Opening Day. This is a guy who is 3 years removed from being the #6 starter for the Diamondbacks and has a history of allowing home runs in bunches. The White Sox have a lineup that can take advantage and should hit well at KC's ballpark. Anderson did not enjoy the Spring as much as Buerhle did. He was 0-2 with a 6.75 e.r.a. and allowed 27 hits and 15 ER in only 20 innings of work. He did have a nice 3/1 ration on K's to Walks, but at 9/3 is nothing compared to Buerhle's 14/1. Royals got off to a hot start last season and played very well at home, but I think this is a tough opening day matchup for them. I will lay the small price with the White Sox.
Cleveland Indians +128 ($100 to win $128) --- Everyone rags on the Tribe saying they suck and all, but I see a team with some exciting young players. They send their ace to the mound today and he's a tough young lefty named Sabathia. He had a decent Spring going 0-1 with a 3.00 e.r.a. He allowed just 14 hits and 6 ER in 18 innings. He struck out 12 and walked 6. Radke gets the start for the Twins and he had a rocky Spring. He was 1-0, but had a 6.63 e.r.a. in 19 innings of work. He allowed 24 hits and 9 ER while striking out 9 and walking 0. He's always had great control and reminds me of Maddux, but does not quite get the movement on his pitches that Maddux gets. The stat that hurts him is the 6 HR allowed in just 19 innings, that's almost a dinger every three innings. Which means, if thos averages prove correct and he goes 6 or 7 innings that he should give up two longballs. It would be nice if this holds true and if there are multiple guys on base for the Tribe when it happens. I really think the Tribe's offense is going to turn some heads this season. Hopefully they'll get off to a good start.
DA BOMB
