Reds @ Cubs
Play: Cubs -129
Intrinsic Value -166
Consider Betting Price: -152
Comment:
Last season, the best thing that could have happened to the Tigers happened in mid April prior to the A’s series, when the Tigers were coming off a disappointing loss. Leyland lit a fuse under the team, and the team responded and never looked back. Although on the surface, the Cubs disappointing loss yesterday was tough to take, in the long run, it could pay off big dividends if Pinella was successful in lighting a fuse under the team. Today they send a young southpaw on the mound that possesses one of the nastiest curveballs in the game. After struggling early last season, he finished out the year in dominant fashion, and since the break, he was nearly unhittable. He started this year where he left off last year, as he allowed just one hit in his first start. Although he struggled against the Reds last year, he matches up well against them, as he can neutralize their left handed power. He has allowed just two home runs from the left side, and has been overpowering on right handers as well. The Reds bats have been far from impressive, and did not do anything to win yesterdays game. Hill is backed by a deep and solid bullpen that dominated the Reds yesterday.
Sooner or later, the Cubs bats are going to come alive. They simply have too much talent not too. Although they face a pitcher that dominated them last year, the sustainability factor of such is lacking. Arroyo’s biggest asset is his unorthodox backwards pitching style that has been a novelty for most NL hitters. This is no longer the case for the Cubs bats. Last year, in most of his games against the Cubs, he did not have to face Lee, and Floyd was not on the team, which does not sound like much, but he has really struggled against left handed hitters. Arroyo’s junk is also easier to pick up during the day, and it reflected in his stats last year, as his day game numbers were over a run worse than his night stats. The Cubs already showed once this year that Arroyo is not going to be able to dominate them in the fashion that he did last year, as they touched him up for 8 hits and four runs in his first start. Although the Reds bullpen has been pitching really well of late, they simply lack the talent to keep it up for a long period of time.
Play: Cubs -129
Intrinsic Value -166
Consider Betting Price: -152
Comment:
Last season, the best thing that could have happened to the Tigers happened in mid April prior to the A’s series, when the Tigers were coming off a disappointing loss. Leyland lit a fuse under the team, and the team responded and never looked back. Although on the surface, the Cubs disappointing loss yesterday was tough to take, in the long run, it could pay off big dividends if Pinella was successful in lighting a fuse under the team. Today they send a young southpaw on the mound that possesses one of the nastiest curveballs in the game. After struggling early last season, he finished out the year in dominant fashion, and since the break, he was nearly unhittable. He started this year where he left off last year, as he allowed just one hit in his first start. Although he struggled against the Reds last year, he matches up well against them, as he can neutralize their left handed power. He has allowed just two home runs from the left side, and has been overpowering on right handers as well. The Reds bats have been far from impressive, and did not do anything to win yesterdays game. Hill is backed by a deep and solid bullpen that dominated the Reds yesterday.
Sooner or later, the Cubs bats are going to come alive. They simply have too much talent not too. Although they face a pitcher that dominated them last year, the sustainability factor of such is lacking. Arroyo’s biggest asset is his unorthodox backwards pitching style that has been a novelty for most NL hitters. This is no longer the case for the Cubs bats. Last year, in most of his games against the Cubs, he did not have to face Lee, and Floyd was not on the team, which does not sound like much, but he has really struggled against left handed hitters. Arroyo’s junk is also easier to pick up during the day, and it reflected in his stats last year, as his day game numbers were over a run worse than his night stats. The Cubs already showed once this year that Arroyo is not going to be able to dominate them in the fashion that he did last year, as they touched him up for 8 hits and four runs in his first start. Although the Reds bullpen has been pitching really well of late, they simply lack the talent to keep it up for a long period of time.