March 21, 2012
Posted by Admin at 6:29pm UTC
Even with the addition of the extra Wild Card spot in each league, there are at least a handful of teams that are well aware that they are at least one season away from contending for a playoff spot. The Baltimore Orioles are on that list, among the American League teams that despite undergoing some significant change in the offseason are still in need of a few more adjustments before they can be considered contenders. The Orioles have made a habit of occupying the cellar in the AL East over the years, and it will be difficult to end their string of four straight last-place finishes in one of the toughest MLB betting divisions in baseball.
When you consider that Baltimore hasn’t won 70 games since 2006, there is a sense that there should be major change throughout the club. Unfortunately, even with some key signings the Orioles don’t come close to representing a championship MLB betting contender. The team signed 26-year old left-hander Wei-Yin Chen to bolster the starting rotation, but the truth is that Chin is actually only a downgrade from Jeremy Guthrie, who was traded to the Colorado Rockies after spending the previous two seasons as the team’s ace. With Jake Arrieta and Tommy Hunter among the top options, it is clear that Baltimore has one of the worst starting rotations in the AL, and will be challenged not to finish with the highest team ERA.
Fortunately for Orioles’ fans they do have some key pieces on offense that will make the team worth watching. The team is trying to build around Matt Wieters and offseason addition JJ Hardy, and also added Nick Markakis to fill out the batting order. Wieters is a gold glove catcher that can bring a ton of offense, and Hardy is a rising star at shortstop, so those two will make up the team’s nucleus going forward. Brian Roberts and Mark Reynolds are currently pegged for the heart of the order, and Baltimore is hoping that Adam Jones can also provide some pop. The problem is that even with the offensive pieces the Orioles haven’t had the minor league depth to deal for a starting pitcher, and there aren’t many big names that have Baltimore at the top of the list for places that they would like to play.
The biggest task for the Orioles now is acquiring the players to build the starting rotation while complimenting Wieters and Hardy with better pieces to grow a young nucleus. This team has a lot of work to do going forward if it wants to be a legitimate sports bet contender, and while they will win some games, it will be hard for Baltimore to avoid the AL East basement. The Orioles are now committed long-term to following the same blueprint as the division rival Tampa Bay Rays, and while they may not see immediate results, the team is much better off in the long run.
MLB baseball sports betting and news
March 19, 2012
Posted by Admin at 3:35am UTC
For the 2011 Boston Red Sox, the addition of another American League Wild Card spot came one year too late, failing to prevent one of the historic late-season collapses in the history of the game. For the 2012 Red Sox, change is a familiar theme, and like the new postseason format the fans in Boston are hoping that this year is different than last for their home team. The clubhouse will have a different look with new manager Bobby Valentine running things, and if his early comments are any indication, it will be a complete 360 from the way that Terry Francona operated his team. Valentine isn’t a manager that is afraid to call out his players and say what is on his mind, and if nothing else, he will keep his players accountable as a legitimate MLB betting favorite.
Considering the lack of accountability down the stretch a year ago, there may not be a better starting spot for change. Closer Jonathan Papelbon became the poster boy for the Red Sox struggles, but he’s gone now and the team will look for a new closer. Former setup man Daniel Bard would be the obvious fit, but the team appears set on using him to bolster the starting rotation. That is the first of many areas where Boston should be improved, as Bard is far too big of a talent to keep from using in that closer role. Among the other 2011 roster players no longer on the team are Marco Scutaro, Tim Wakefield, and Jason Varitek, and while none of those players really hurt the club down the stretch last season, they didn’t make enough of a difference to hang on to. The Red Sox weren’t big offseason spenders with Cody Ross and Ryan Sweeney the two biggest additions, a sign from management that they feel they have the pieces to contend even though they didn’t get the job done a year ago.
A big part of that is based on the team’s starting rotation, which was expected to be among the best in the AL a year ago before Clay Buchholz was lost for the MLB betting season, and Jon Lackey struggled more than anybody projected. Buchholz will be back and Bard will be added to complete the team’s top-four arms, with Alfredo Aceves the most likely candidate to close out the rotation. Aceves was 10-2 with a 2.61 ERA as a reliever a year ago, and if both Jon Lester and Josh Beckett can bring their best stuff at the top, then this should be one of the best rotations in baseball.
Even with the collapse, there really was no need to make major changes to an offense that ranked first in runs, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage, with newcomer Adrian Gonzalez leading the way with a .338 average and 117 RBI. Jacoby Ellsbury led the team in home runs with 32, and if former MVP Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis can stay healthy then the offense should once again be among the most productive in baseball. The Red Sox once again have the pieces to be considered a legitimate championship contender in the AL. The problem is that expectations were the same a year ago, and they now have to mentally overcome the burden of that collapse as well when fighting to bounce back this best sportsbook season.
MLB baseball sports betting and news
January 27, 2012
Posted by Admin at 5:20am UTC
Maybe create a blog or something. I am pretty good at anything that is not college. NHL, NBA, MLB and NFL. I am really good with numbers and keep stats on everything. For the past two years, I have been profitable and I am getting better, but I feel that I need to get to that next level.
what do you mean Ideas???? there are only a few ways to bet. Moneyline, spread, parlay, etc… or do you mean to give your thoughts and “picks” to share.
Keep in mind unless yo ualready have alot of followers/friends it will be hard, there are tons of gambling blogs already out there from professionals.
I have worked for 2 of the biggest Sports Pick Companies in Las Vegas. Trust me when I tell you, they don’t rely on their pick records to convince customers to pay them money. It is a game of deception and arrogance. I know the business inside out and eventually I got so disgusted I had to leave and become a professional gambler on my own. However, let me just say, some of these sports pick companies make several million dollars per year. I know how they do it and what must be done.
I have played with the idea of opening my own website for Sports Picks, because without sounding to arrogant, I know the ins and outs of how they make so much money.
The one thing you need to realize is, NOBODY hits 70% of their ATS bets. I am a 20 year professional and I know more than probably anyone you have ever met, and I hit around 60%, which is darn good. An amateur might hit about 53% (which I certainly did for about a decade). That means the difference between a professional and an amateur is about 6 correct picks out of a 100. A professional should hit about 60 out of 100 picks ATS, whereas an amateur will hit 50% t0 55%.
Don’t ever believe these sports pick companies or an individual when they say they hit 70% or higher on their ATS bets, they are blatantly lying to you.
MLB baseball sports betting and news