MLB Saturday Preview – Los Angeles vs Oakland
Before baseball gambling fans turn their attention to other sports betting events this weekend, we have the Saturday MLB game of the day pick for you. It’s time for our weekly baseball picks for online MLB betting action.
Season Record:
Los Angeles: 47-42 SU
Oakland: 41-46 SU
Underachieving Starters Meet In California
MLB Betting – Los Angeles Angels @ Oakland Athletics
Scott Kazmir (7-8) vs. Ben Sheets (3-8)
Kazmir vs. Athletics Hitting
Picked up last season in an attempt to shore up the pitching staff, Kazmir has done very little of that in his first full season with the Angels. His 5.98 ERA and 1.57 WHIP are way above his career highs, and his inconsistent play all season suggests those numbers aren’t going to get much better. Kazmir has lost his last three starts, allowing 17 runs in 14.2 innings and walking nine batters. He hasn’t pitched past the sixth inning May 22nd.
Luckily for Angels’ fans, a matchup against Oakland may just be the slump-buster Kazmir is looking for. In his previous outing against the A’s this season, Kazmir pitched 6 1/3, allowing one run and striking out five. The Oakland offense this season is atrocious, with no regular hitting .300 and only one batter with double-digit home runs. When Kevin Kouzmanoff (40 RBI) is your leading run producer, there are problems with your offense. This will be Kazmir’s last chance to end his first half of the season on a winning note.
Sheets vs. Angels Hitting
If you bet on MLB, you know Ben Sheets has been a massive letdown for the Athletics. A 3-8 record coupled with a 4.89 ERA and 1.44 WHIP does little to inspire confidence. In his last seven starts, Sheets is 1-5 and has allowed more than three runs in each start. Optimistic persons can look at his career numbers and predict a second-half comeback, but that’s a doubtful prediction for an oft-injured fire-baller who seems out of place in the American League.
The Angels offense isn’t amazing, but solid. Case in point, the Angels win over Sheets one month ago. Sheets allowed three runs in six innings, not horrible numbers for Sheets but just enough for Los Angeles to win. With the exception of Bobby Abreu (.304, 2 HR, 7 RBI in 23 AB’s vs. Sheets), the right hander doesn’t have much experience with the Angels offense. There is some pop in the lineup (Torii Hunter and Mike Napoli with 14 HR’s each), and I’m betting we’ll be seeing some of it against Sheets.
Bullpen Comparison
It hasn’t been a great year for the Angels bullpen. Out of the six relievers who have pitched more than 20 innings, only one (Fernando Rodney) has an ERA under 3.75 (Rodney has 3.15). Closer Brian Fuentes has blown 4 saves in 19 chances and has a 4.44 ERA. Injuries and poor performances have also caused a lot of turnover. Already this season, 11 players have made at least four relief appearances for Los Angeles.
One of the only bright spots in Oakland’s season so far is the play of closer Andrew Bailey. Many predicted a slump for last season’s AL Rookie-Of-The-Year, but Bailey has ignored protocol and avoided the sophomore slump. Bailey has 17 saves, a 1.59 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP in 34 IP this season. While the rest of the ‘pen struggles and pitch too inconsistently to considered a real threat, Bailey has remained as a positive constant.
Outlook
Neither pitcher is overwhelming in this matchup, although I trust Kazmir to have a better game than Sheets. The Sheets experiment in Oakland has failed, and if anyone wants his contract the righty will be traded by the deadline. Add in a less-than-potent A’s offense and I’m betting the Angels come away with this one.
Gambling Trends:
LA Angels are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games
LA Angels are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games on the road
Oakland is 2-6 SU in their last 8 games when playing LA Angels
Oakland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
Oakland is 2-8 SU in their last 10 games when playing at home against LA Angels
Oakland is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
LA Angels are 8-2 SU in their last 10 games when playing on the road against Oakland
LA Angels are 6-2 SU in their last 8 games when playing Oakland
Pick: Los Angeles Angels
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Poolside Rants hails from beautiful Bozeman Montana by way of Toronto, Canada. (Blame his wife for the move). He’s a Dallas Cowboys football honk. But please….don’t hold that against him. The man knows his sports and has uncanny knowledge when it comes to picking games.
