MLB Marketwatch Edition 7 2009

Sports Marketwatch
MLB Edition
4/28/2009 5:00 PM EST
By The Team at SportsInsights.com

Welcome to the 2009 MLB Sports Marketwatch, where the Team at SportsInsights gives sports fans unprecedented insight into the sports marketplace. If you ever wanted to know what was really happening on the sportsbook side, you now have an all-access pass with Sports Marketwatch! Sports MarketWatch will be published twice weekly on Tuesday and Friday, around 5 PM Eastern Time.

Sports Marketplace – MLB Edition

Two big offensive outputs got us back to our winning ways with another 2-0 Marketwatch edition on Friday night. The Phillies were down 2-0 going into the top of the ninth before cutting it to a one-run deficit with two outs against Marlins closer Matt Lindstrom. Shane Victorino walked to the plate with the bases loaded and launched a grand slam to put Philadelphia ahead for good. The Blue Jays went into Friday’s game sporting the AL’s best offense, and they lived up to that standing by pounding out 21 hits and 14 runs against the White Sox. That was more than enough as a trio of Toronto pitchers combined for a six-hit shut out.

Baseball can be a very profitable sport to bet on when you base it off moneyline odds, especially when betting underdogs. The “plus odds” is a reason that MLB moneyline dogs can show value over time. Most people like to win – thus overvaluing winning teams. Our selections on moneyline underdogs will normally hit at less than 50%, but the “plus odds” payoff makes it a profitable investment.

2009 MLB Games to Watch: 9-2, 81.8%, +9.12 units
*Source: SportsInsights.com

Sports MarketWatch – MLB Games to Watch

Atlanta Braves +108 over St. Louis Cardinals

The Braves went into last off-season looking to significantly improve a disappointing pitching corps, and it early on it looks like they did. It’s been Atlanta’s offense that’s let them down this year. With slugging catcher Brian McCann suffering from blurred vision and Chipper Jones missing some games, they haven’t been able to score enough for the revamped staff. The Cardinals have the major’s best record early in the season, as perennial MVP-candidate Albert Pujols just seems to make everyone around him better. Pitching coach Dave Duncan continues to have success with other team’s failures, and tonight’s starter is just one example. Kyle Lohse (3-0, 2.42) set career best numbers in wins and ERA last season, and has started out strong this season.

The public likes the Cardinals with 71% of moneyline wagers behind St. Louis. Combine that with 91% of runline bets and 81% of parlay bets and it’s surprising the line has barely moved from its opening at Olympic of St. Louis -115. The Cardinals are currently -117 favorites despite the large variance in public support. The market movement has triggered multiple Sports Insights Betting System plays on the Braves, including a Steam Move from Pinnacle (+11.1 units). This game also fits into our contrarian betting theory explained in MLB and Betting Against the Public. We’ll take the homedogs with “plus money”.

Atlanta Braves +108 (Bodog)

San Francisco Giants +155 over Los Angeles Dodgers

With Barry Bonds in the stands, the Giants scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth to gain a 5-4 win over the Dodgers on Monday. They will have a challenge on Friday as they face Los Angeles ace Chad Billingsley (4-0, 2.05 ERA). Billingsley is looking to become the major league’s first five-game winner in the middle game of a three-game set in this heated rivalry. Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez has heated up lately, with a .405 batting average and 10 RBIs in his last nine games. San Francisco will counter with young southpaw Jonathan Sanchez (1-1, 3.65), who had his last turn in the rotation skipped due to an off day. Sanchez allowed no runs and only two hits in 6.2 innings during his previous start (against Arizona).

The public likes Los Angeles’ hot-starting ace even on the road. The Dodgers are receiving 74% of public moneyline bets and 81% of parlay wagers. Even with this heavy backing the line hasn’t seen much movement since the Dodgers opened as -160 favorites at Olympic, and it even dipped down slightly at one point to Los Angeles -157. It has since moved back to Los Angeles -165. The public is pushing the line, and we like the home underdog as this game fits into our MLB and Betting Against the Public article.

San Francisco +155 (SIA)

San Francisco Giants +155 (SIA)