Good baseball betting strategy: Consider the Bullpen

Most people will probably agree that in baseball, the person who is on the mound makes the most difference in any given game.

Good baseball betting strategy: Consider the Bullpen The pitcher is the guy who will see the most action and who really controls the pace and events of any game. When it comes to betting, it’s a good idea to pay close attention to whoever takes the mound in a game. This requires some research on the part of the bettor, but it’s definitely work that pays off. Remember, bookmakers make the lines according to the way the bets are going; the fact that the starting pitcher will seem to make a difference to the lines and the values of the different bets is a reflection of public opinion more than bookie knowledge.

Any amateur bettor or casually betting fan will know to look at the starter first when it comes to handicapping bets for the week. Where experience and some solid knowledge comes into play is in the rest of the pitching lineup.

This is more clear when one considers the number of starting pitchers who actually complete an entire nine innings of baseball. It doesn’t happen that often at all! In fact, most starters will probably pitch between four and six innings – seven on the outside average – and then they will be retired for the day. Managers want to make sure their aces are in good form and able to come out on a set rotation, so they don’t want to see them pitching 27 extra pitches at the very least every single game.

What this means to the person who bets on baseball is that there are several pitchers to consider when you are handicapping the game. Starters will be your first consideration, of course, but any baseball game will see on average anywhere from 4-6 guys taking the mound. You have to have a handle on the entire pitching staff in order to make you bets as accurate as possible.

After your starters, you want to take a look at the middle pitchers, the least acknowledged baseball players on a team. It’s strange, because these are the guys who can make the biggest difference, especially in tight games. As far as what a bettor is looking for in a middle game pitcher, it’s all about speed and accuracy. These guys are precision strikers and a manager will often match a relief pitcher to a specific batter, so that he only throws a few pitches. A weakness here can mean the game gets blown wide open.

After two or three middle pitchers get done with their jobs, it’s time for the closers. Closers get almost as much buzz as starters, but they really have the least amount of impact on a game. If a team is behind by the time a closer takes the mound, it’s really up to the hitters to get the team back in the game. A closer with a losing record can make a difference though as he might not be a pressure performer, so steer clear of teams that put in a closer who consistently blows leads.

A final thing to remember about closers is that like starters, you won’t see them come out every game. They’re needed in the tight situations, so managers prefer to save them.

Smart baseball betting means that you take the entire pitching lineup into consideration when you are handicapping games. You’ll want to look at records as far as wins and losses as well as pitches thrown, strikes, and averages against right and left handed hitters and then bet accordingly.

Marshall

Published on 07/30/2007