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San Diego Padres vs. L.A. Dodgers Gambling Preview & Free MLB Picks

MLB Lines – Padres vs Dodgers

This battle of SoCal teams gives us the narrative of two clubs on different trajectories.

The Dodgers are using their massive pocketbook to cruise to a 4.5 game lead in the NL West division, while the Friars find themselves in third in the West only because of the utter incompetence of the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies.

Gambling Preview

Date/Time: Wednesday, August 20 2014, 10 pm EST
Venue: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles CA
MLB Gambling Lines
San Diego +135, L.A. -155
Over/Under: 7.5
Pitching Match-up: Eric Stults (5-13, 4.64 ERA) vs. Roberto Hernandez (7-8, 3.72 ERA)

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The most glaring difference between these rival clubs – though there are many – is San Diego’s complete ineptness with the bats. The Padres (58-66) rank 30th in the league in all major offensive categories, which is almost historically bad.

That San Diego is only eight games under .500 speaks to its effective pitching, conversely. Starter Andrew Cashner looked great before he went on the DL with a barking shoulder, and Tyson Ross has asserted himself as one of the best starters in baseball.

There are no such chasms in Vin Scully-land (uhh, I mean Los Angeles).

The Dodgers (71-56) are sixth in the majors in team batting average, fourth in on-base percentage and 11th in slugging.

On top of that, they have far-and-away the best pitcher in the game in lefty Clayton Kershaw. They also have a hodgepodge of reclamation projects (OF Carl Crawford, 1B Adrian Gonzalez, reliever Brian Wilson) and studs (Ps Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, closer Kenley Jansen).
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Basically, there’s no shortage of talent playing at Chavez Ravine.

Los Angeles will roll out starter Roberto Hernandez on Wednesday night, or the Artist Formerly Known As Fausto Carmona. He’s been adequate since coming over in deal from Philadelphia, and if the Dodgers’ bats can perform up to snuff, there should be enough run support for a win.

L.A.’s lineup should get to San Diego starter Eric Stults. Thirteen losses (although record is of course a fickle stat) and an ERA over four and a half doesn’t bode well for Stults.

The Padres have lost their last two ballgames, but were 6-2 before that, so this is a team that is perhaps starting to come around. Some of San Diego’s young talent holds promise for the future.

Yet the Friars always seem to be stuck in the cycle of building and rebuilding, without any payoff.

Owners Magic Johnson and the Guggenheim partners have ensured – thanks to the largest payroll in Major League Baseball – that Dodger Nation will go through no such damaging cycle.

Everything’s not perfect for the Dodgers, though. They’ve only played .500 ball over their last ten contests, but they are lucky that no other team in the West division is taking advantage. The second-place San Francisco Giants have been falling off a cliff, and the remaining trifecta of the Padres/D’backs/Rockies instills fear in nobody.

San Diego’s collection of no-name hitters likely won’t tax Hernandez, while one of the Dodgers superstars should get to Stults early, and open the floodgates accordingly.

Free MLB Pick: Los Angeles 6, San Diego 2

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By James Hayes

James has been naming every player on the EA Sports video game rosters for half a decade now, he’s finally putting his knowledge to better use writing for us here at CappersPicks.com. Your comments are welcome below…Give Us Your Take!