Thursday’s Betting on Baseball

I hope you took our advice in our last installment of Betting on Baseball, or at least checked out SBR Forum for some free MLB picks. If you didn’t, tonight’s slate of match-ups could be your big chance at redemption.

Philadelphia Phillies (+110) vs. New York Mets (-120)
So as good as R.A. Dickey has been over the last two months, and he can only make the Mets that much a favorite over the lowly Phillies? That’s suspect. Take the Phillies tonight and look for their lineup to get a good piece of Dickey or Dickey to leave with the no-decision. Pick: Phillies (+110)

San Francisco Giants (-120) vs. Washington Nationals (+110)
I usually love a home dog like this, but the Nationals are due for a setback. This is the last game of the series between these two teams, and Matt Cain is a shutdown stopper for a reason. As fun as it would be to make a play on a Washington sweep, you take Matt Cain over Ross Detwiler all day here. Pick: Giants (-120)

Cincinnati Reds (-140) vs. San Diego Padres (+130)
I don’t have the numbers on it (interns may apply from within), but the Cincinnati Reds have to be one of the best teams in baseball coming off a getaway day loss. They will rebound, and they will not allow a guy they shaved from their starting rotation in the past few years to defeat them two nights in a row. This is a very intriguing match-up, where the pitcher who was traded for Josh Hamilton opposes the pitcher who was traded then for him. The Reds will split this four game series, and this is one of the wins. I guarantee it. Pick: Cincinnati (-140).

***Bonus pick*** Houston Astros (+125) over Pittsburgh Pirates (-135)
I am one of the few people who is truly buying the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jeff Karstens isn’t half bad, but Bud Norris will have their number on this night. They’re still the Pirates. They’re still going to drop games that they should mark as a ‘W’. Your biggest underdog winner of the night will be those no-name ‘Stros from Houston.