Up to MLB Betting Trends

posted July 18, 2008 at 16:42 in MLB Betting Trends

While the St. Louis Cardinals, (54-43, 52-45 RL) have overachieved all season long for the BetUS MLB online betting community in recording their solid straight up record in the BetUS Sportsbook and have won two straight games and three of their last four coming into tonight’s baseball wagering matchup, the lowly San Diego Padres, (37-59, 43-53 RL) have been one of the most beleaguered teams in all of baseball this season, floundering from the very start of the season and currently riding a three-game losing streak that includes a close 4-3 loss to the Cardinals on Thursday.

Tonight, San Diego will turn to Hall of Fame-bound right-hander Greg Maddux, (3-8, 3.90 ERA), who has been looking for a victory for over two months now, having last recorded a victory on, his 350th career win, way back on May 10.

Maddux, 42, has gone 0-5 with a 4.11 ERA over his last 12 starts – the longest stretch of his career without a win since going 13 starts without winning from May 11 through July 14, 1990 when he was still a member of the Chicago Cubs.

"I enjoy going out there and I enjoy the opportunity to pitch," he told the Padres' official Web site. "I'd rather be out there losing than not playing at all."

 

Maddux, a four-time Cy Young Award winner, has allowed two earned runs or less in eight starts spanning his personal drought and limited the Atlanta Braves to three runs on six hits in seven innings of a 4-1 loss on Saturday.

 

"It's extremely frustrating," San Diego manager Bud Black said. "He's pitched well enough to, one might say, have double digits in wins with the way he's throwing. But he's a professional and he goes out there and makes his turn on every fifth day and competes as well as anybody I've been around. It's great to see."

 

The Cardinals are now within four games of the NL Central-leading Cubs and got two home runs from big-bopper Troy Glaus on Thursday.

"It's getting warmer," said Glaus, who had four home runs in his previous 91 at-bats. "That's baseball. It's just a good stretch now."

 

The Cardinals will counter San Diego with right-hander Braden Looper (9-7, 4.25) who has allowed six runs in his last two starts covering 13 innings, though he has received just one total run of support during the span.

Here is a look at tonight’s key online sports wagering trends followed by my analysis and MLB online betting Free Picks:

The Padres are 5-1 in Maddux’s last six Friday starts.

The Padres are 4-1 in Maddux’s last five starts as an underdog of +110 to +150.

The Cardinals are 5-1 in Looper’s last six starts vs. a team with a losing record.

The Cardinals are 2-6 in Looper’s last eight home starts with the total set at 7.0-8.5.

The Over is 5-1 in Maddux’s last six starts as a road underdog.

The Over is 5-1 in Looper’s last six starts vs. a team with a losing record.

The Under is 10-4-1 in the last 15 meetings.

The Under is 5-2 in the last seven meetings in St. Louis.

Analysis:

I know the Cardinals are far and away the better team in tonight’s matchup, but I am going against the grain and picking the lowly Padres to break their modest losing streak and actually pick up a surprising, but close victory over the Cardinals tonight. Take the Padres and the runs, to cover the Run Line and possibly win outright for the venerable Greg Maddux.

MLB Free Picks: Padres 5 Cardinals 4

08:15 PM EST MLB Odds

San Diego Padres

Greg Maddux - R +1½ -160

St Louis Cardinals

Braden Looper - R -1½ +140

Over 8½ -120

Under 8½ EV

National League

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