Posted on
4/22/2008 4:31:19 PM
MLB Online Baseball Betting - San Diego Padres at Houston Astros
By Charles Jay
BetUS MLB baseball betting odds: San Diego -160, Houston +140, Total 8.5 (Under -120, Over - Even)
Two National League teams trying to get something going on a consistent basis will get together on Tuesday night in Houston, as the Astros (8-12) play host to the San Diego Padres (9-11) in a game that is scheduled to begin at 8:05 PM ET at Minute Maid Park.
San Diego's Jake Peavy (3-0, 1.64 ERA), one of the most respected starters in the NL, will oppose Houston's Brandon Backe (1-2, 4.26 ERA) in a battle of right-handers.
At BetUS Sportsbook, San Diego is listed as a -160 favorite (Houston is +140), with a total of 8.5 runs Under is -120, Over is even money).
Here are some of the MLB betting trends as they relate to this matchup:
(NOTE: These trends may also revert back to the 2007 season)
* SD has lost five of its last six games
* SD has played four of its last six games OVER the total
* SD has lost nine of its last 13 road games
* SD has played five of its last seven road games OVER the total
* HOU has played four of its last five games OVER the total
* HOU has played 16 of its last 24 games UNDER the total
* HOU has won four of its last six home games
* HOU has played 17 of its last 25 home games UNDER the total
In the HEAD-TO-HEAD baseball betting trends:
* SD has won four of the last six meetings
* Six of the last eight meetings have gone UNDER the total
The Padres have managed just a .239 batting average this season and have scored just 3.25 runs per game. The only thing that is keeping San Diego afloat right now is the performance of its starting staff the includes Randy Wolf, Greg Maddux, Chris Young and Justin Germano. Of course, the ace of that staff is Jake Peavy, who has compiled a 1.20 ERA. Peavy has allowed only four extra base hits in his three starts, and has permitted only 17 of the 112 batters he has faced to fly the ball into the outfield. The guy has been outstanding.
And he has gone seven full innings in each of his last five starts against the Astros, yielding only five earned runs and 23 hits. That's pretty good command over an opponent.
Brandon Backe was a pleasant surprise until getting shelled against the Phillies five days ago. he allowed 12 base runners in three innings and let his ERA blow up. But a closer look at Backe's record indicates that he's allowed more than one run in only three of his 19 innings.
San Diego is laying a healthy price as a road team here; I say healthy because the offense is often a no-show, as we alluded to above. Maybe the judicious way to go here is with the total. So we'll move with the UNDER on 8.5 runs as it is posted in the BetUS Major League Baseball betting odds.
JAY'S PLAY: UNDER 8.5 (-120)
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(Charles Jay of http://www.eBookies.com touches all the bases as a regular contributor to the BetUS Locker Room)