Posted on 4/28/2008 1:30:23 PM

MLB Baseball Betting Trends – Free Picks

By Dave Golokhov

Cincinnati Reds @ St. Louis Cardinals

Still waiting for the St. Louis Cardinals to fall off? I’d hold off on that thought.

We all knew that Tony La Russa was one of the best managers in the league but the work he’s put together this year already has him as the front runner for manager of the year.

The Cardinals open up a three-game series with the Reds and it’s hard not to like the Cardinals in this series. They have won three of their last four games while the Reds are 3-6 in their last 9 road games.

On paper, it looks like the Reds are sending the better pitchers to the mound with Johnny Cueto, Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang.

But Cueto has yet to win on the road and has an ERA of 5.11 away from the Great American Ballpark. Arroyo, who is 0-3 with an ERA of 7.56, is 14-26 as a member of the Reds staff since starting 2006 with a 9-3 record. And Harang, although he is the staff ace and boasts a sparkling ERA of 2.76, is getting pitiful run support and has only one win this season.

The Cards send Todd Wellemeyer, Joel Pineiro and Braden Looper to the mound in this three-game set.

Free Pick: St. Louis

Colorado Rockies @ San Francisco Giants

As the San Francisco Giants contemplate moving their $126 million dollar man Barry Zito into a mop-up reliever role, the Colorado Rockies come to town a three-game series.

Zito was shelled again on Sunday, allowing eight earned runs in just three innings of work. He’s only the third pitcher since 1956 to be 0-6 before May 1st.

The Giants will throw Matt Cain, who is off a solid outing, Tim Lincecum, arguably the team’s best pitcher and Jonathan Sanchez, who has 36 strikeouts in 28 innings of work.

The Rockies will sandwich Aaron Cook with youngsters Franklin Morales and Ubaldo Jimenez, two pitchers with ERAs 6.00 or higher.

The reigning National League Champions have lost their last four road games.

Free Pick: San Francisco

Oakland Athletics @ Los Angeles Angels

Although both teams are 16-10 and sit atop the National League West, one is real and one is phony.

The Angels were expected to be here and were expected to contend for the West crown while the A’s were supposed to be rebuilding.

But even though these teams might finish the season accomplishing different goals, it doesn’t mean that this series won’t be competitive now.

The A’s have the pitching advantage as they send Chad Gaudin, Greg Smith and Dana Eveland to the mound. Those three pitchers have a combined record of 7-2. Gaudin has allowed only one earned run in his last two starts (14 innings pitched).

The Angels will be sending three quality starters as well. Jon Garland, Joe Saunders and Ervin Santana have a combined record of 11-2. With home field advantage, the Angels should get two of three in this series. They will take the A’s more seriously than most teams have.

Free Pick: Los Angeles

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