looks solid to me reading this article from vegasinsider.
what do you all think??
Handicapping the All-Star game
July 8, 2002
By Stephen Nover
Vegas Insider.com
LAS VEGAS - Most professional bettors don't bother with the baseball All-Star Game.
But, is it possible to seriously handicap this exhibition game?
"It's easier to make a betting line than handicapping the game," said Pete Korner, office manager for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.
Based largely on home-field advantage, LVSC has opened the National League a slight minus $1.20 favorite against the American League. The total is nine 'over' (minus $1.20).
"There's no big advantage," Korner said. "We just have to put up a favorite and obviously it's usually the home team.
"These are All-Stars so you have quality through and through. We don't have any listed pitchers. Traditionally, the starters go three innings, and everybody else goes one inning."
Because Tuesday's game will be held at Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers, the National League is the favorite. Korner said recent past history doesn't factor when making the line, but the American League has won the last five All-Star games.
Because only the starters are expected to pitch more than one inning, pitching isn't as big a factor as normal.
That leaves hitting and fielding, where you could argue the American League is better at every position except outfield. The AL is particularly stronger than the NL at second base, shortstop and in outfield defense.
Then again, there's a reason why professional gamblers take this day off.
"We kind of handle this like one of the first preseason football games," Korner said. "We know the starters aren't going very long, and it's just going to be how long the managers stick with certain pitchers."
It's tempting to bet 'under' the total, though. If you throw out the American League's 13-8 victory in the 1998 game played at Coors Field, the average combined score in the past six games has been 5.6 runs.
That statistic doesn't matter to Korner. He's just looking to put up a number that hopefully will get two-way action.
"The total basically depends on the stadium," he said. "If we were in Colorado, we would have a higher total. If it were in Texas, we would have a higher total.
"Milwaukee is right in the middle. It's not a huge run-scoring ballpark. You would figure the pitchers would have a little advantage in this type of game, but we don't make it lower because then we would only get one-way action."
what do you all think??
Handicapping the All-Star game
July 8, 2002
By Stephen Nover
Vegas Insider.com
LAS VEGAS - Most professional bettors don't bother with the baseball All-Star Game.
But, is it possible to seriously handicap this exhibition game?
"It's easier to make a betting line than handicapping the game," said Pete Korner, office manager for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.
Based largely on home-field advantage, LVSC has opened the National League a slight minus $1.20 favorite against the American League. The total is nine 'over' (minus $1.20).
"There's no big advantage," Korner said. "We just have to put up a favorite and obviously it's usually the home team.
"These are All-Stars so you have quality through and through. We don't have any listed pitchers. Traditionally, the starters go three innings, and everybody else goes one inning."
Because Tuesday's game will be held at Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers, the National League is the favorite. Korner said recent past history doesn't factor when making the line, but the American League has won the last five All-Star games.
Because only the starters are expected to pitch more than one inning, pitching isn't as big a factor as normal.
That leaves hitting and fielding, where you could argue the American League is better at every position except outfield. The AL is particularly stronger than the NL at second base, shortstop and in outfield defense.
Then again, there's a reason why professional gamblers take this day off.
"We kind of handle this like one of the first preseason football games," Korner said. "We know the starters aren't going very long, and it's just going to be how long the managers stick with certain pitchers."
It's tempting to bet 'under' the total, though. If you throw out the American League's 13-8 victory in the 1998 game played at Coors Field, the average combined score in the past six games has been 5.6 runs.
That statistic doesn't matter to Korner. He's just looking to put up a number that hopefully will get two-way action.
"The total basically depends on the stadium," he said. "If we were in Colorado, we would have a higher total. If it were in Texas, we would have a higher total.
"Milwaukee is right in the middle. It's not a huge run-scoring ballpark. You would figure the pitchers would have a little advantage in this type of game, but we don't make it lower because then we would only get one-way action."
