Posted on
5/6/2008 4:28:45 PM
MLB Baseball Betting Action – Hot Phillies Look to Cool Off D-Backs
By Eric Williams
The Arizona Diamondbacks, (21-11, 18-11-2 O/U), have been the best team in all of baseball all season long and have some of the best young arms in the game.
That fact however, did nothing to deter the older more experienced Philadelphia Phillies, (19-14, 17-16 O/U) on Monday night as Philadelphia pounded the snot out of every Arizona pitcher including young starter Max Scherzer and the man he replaced in the starting rotation, Edgar Gonzalez en route to an overwhelming 11-4 victory.
The Diamondbacks still have baseball's best record, but have gone just 1-3 in their last four games in the BetUS Sportsbook. Tonight, the D-Backs will try to stop their minimal bleeding by handing the ball to ageless 44-year-old veteran Randy Johnson, (1-1, 4.79).
Johnson was rocked in his last start, allowing six runs on nine hits in just four innings, but escaped without a loss as the Diamondbacks won 8-7.
"His slider might not be as good as we've seen it in the past, but he does have some other weapons," manager Bob Melvin told the Diamondbacks' official Web site.
The Phillies, winners of eight of their last ten games and four of five, will look to continue their wining ways by sending veteran right-hander Adam Eaton (0-0, 4.72 ERA) to the mound looking for his first victory of the season in seven starts. Eaton allowed two runs on five hits in six innings in the Phillies’ 3-2 win over San Diego on Thursday.
"My record doesn't have anything to do with how the season goes," Eaton said. "I've pitched pretty well and pretty poorly at times."
Second baseman Chase Utley leads the majors with 13 home runs and is batting a torrid .362 for the season, the fourth-best average in baseball.
Here is a look at tonight’s key trends, followed by my analysis and MLB Betting Picks.
The Phillies are 4-0 in Eaton’s last 4 starts.
The Phillies are 4-0 in Eaton’s last 4 starts on grass.
The Diamondbacks are 20-7 in Johnson’s last 27 starts vs. National League East.
The Diamondbacks are 7-3 in Johnson’s last 10 starts.
The Under is 5-0-2 in Eaton’s last 7 Tuesday starts.
The Over is 4-0 in Johnson’s last 4 starts as a favorite.
The Diamondbacks are 9-2 in Johnson’s last 11 starts vs. Phillies.
The Phillies are 10-4 in the last 14 meetings in Arizona.
Analysis: While the Phillies are playing at home tonight, I say take the Arizona Diamondbacks to win this game emphatically by rocking mediocre Phillies starter Adam Eaton while getting a solid performance from Randy Johnson.
MLB Free Picks: Diamondbacks 5 Phillies 2
09:40 PM EST MLB Odds
Philadelphia Phillies
Adam Eaton - R +1½ -165
Arizona Diamondbacks
Randy Johnson - L -1½ +145
Over 10 -115
Under 10 -105
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