Up to MLB Betting Trends

posted May 7, 2008 at 16:34 in MLB Betting Trends

BetUS MLB baseball betting odds: Houston -170, Washington +150; Total 8.5 (Over -120, Under - Even)

The Washington Nationals (14-19) are playing a bit better lately, and as they try to make up some ground in the National League East, they will take on the Houston Astros (17-16) in an NL game that will take place at 8:05 PM ET on Wednesday at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

Right-hander Roy Oswalt (3-3, 5.57 ERA) gets the start for the homestanding Astros, while the Nats will counter with a southpaw, Odalis Perez (0-3, 3.18 ERA).

At BetUS Sportsbook, Houston is listed as a -170 favorite (Washington is +150), with a total of 8.5 runs (the Over is -120, while the Under is listed at even money).

Here are some of the MLB Baseball betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

(NOTE: These trends may also revert back to the 2007 season)

* WASH has won six of its last eight games

* WASH has played seven of its last 10 games UNDER the total

* WASH has lost 11 of its last 13 road games

* HOU has won five of its last six games

* HOU has played four of its last five games OVER the total

* HOU has won its last seven home games

* HOU has played six of its last seven home games OVER the total

In the HEAD-TO-HEAD baseball betting trends:

* WASH has won eight of the last 11 meetings

* Four of the last six meetings have gone OVER the total

* Eight of the last 12 meetings in Houston have gone OVER the total

Roy Oswalt has been pretty strong against the nationals/Expos, as he's given up just six earned runs against them in his last four starts. This season he's had a much harder time than usual, though it must be said that after a very rocky start, in which he gave up 16 runs in his first 16 innings, Oswalt has steadily improved, going through four straight quality starts coming into this game. last time out against Milwaukee he was serviceable, allowing six hits and three runs and striking out six batters over six innings.

Odalis Perez has had some disastrous outings against the Astros; to illustrate, in his last five starts, covering 22 innings, he's surrendered 33 earned runs for a 13.50 ERA and 2.68 WHIP ratio. But his last start against Houston was in 2006, and those starts took place over a period of nine years.

Perez, who at one time was a 15-game winner and All-Star for the Dodgers, has not pitched badly at all for a guy who has not won a game yet this season. He's got a 3.18 ERA, and has given up two runs or less in his last five starts. It's just that the Nationals don't give him a lot of offensive support; indeed, they have scored just 19 runs in his seven starts.

Over the last four games, however, Washington has been doing a little better along those lines (23 runs in those contests), perhaps enough for us to make a recommendation, at this price, on Washington as an underdog. So we take +150 with the Nationals in the BetUS Major League Baseball betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: WASHINGTON (+150)

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(Charles Jay of http://www.eBookies.com touches all the bases as a regular contributor to the BetUS Locker Room)