Astros @ Pirates
Play: Pirates +116
Intrinsic Value: -145
Consider Betting Price: -131
Comment:
Huge bounce back start for Armas, as his starting spot may be on the line if he continues to struggle in the manner he has opening up the season. No matter what home park he has pitched in Armas has been far more effective pitching in front of his home crowd throughout his career. Today will be his first home start as a Pirate, a spot in which he put forth a career 3.67 ERA in for the other teams he has pitched for. Armas still has the pitching arsenal to be effective on right handed hitters, and has had success throughout his career against the Astros, actually only allowing six runs in 29 innings of work in his home starts against the team. Although he is not the same pitcher he was when he accumulated most of the numbers against the Astros hitters, still 1 for 15 on Biggio, 0 for 9 for Ensberg, 2 for 9 on Ausmus, and 1 for 9 on Lee can not be ignored. He is also backed by an underrated bullpen that has the long relief pitchers to fill in multiple innings for a struggling pitcher, as they proved last night. Unlike the Astros, who used their best bullpen pitcher in multiple innings of work, the three best Pirates bullpen pitchers had one inning or less of work.
The Pirates also have a good chance to back Armas with ideal run support, as they get to face a sub par pitcher as well. As expected, Rodriguez got a reality check in his last start, as he simply is not good enough to keep solid numbers sustained for long periods of time. Despite not going up against a terribly talented lineup, it is a lineup that has a few hitters with past success against him in limited at bats, and a lineup that has been much more potent at home the last three years. Despite not much difference in productive against southpaws compared to right handed pitchers this year, the Pirates lineup matches up much better against left handed pitching. The Astros long relief is a mess right now, and Rodriguez is not an ideal candidate to go deep into games, especially with a career road ERA near six.
Play: Pirates +116
Intrinsic Value: -145
Consider Betting Price: -131
Comment:
Huge bounce back start for Armas, as his starting spot may be on the line if he continues to struggle in the manner he has opening up the season. No matter what home park he has pitched in Armas has been far more effective pitching in front of his home crowd throughout his career. Today will be his first home start as a Pirate, a spot in which he put forth a career 3.67 ERA in for the other teams he has pitched for. Armas still has the pitching arsenal to be effective on right handed hitters, and has had success throughout his career against the Astros, actually only allowing six runs in 29 innings of work in his home starts against the team. Although he is not the same pitcher he was when he accumulated most of the numbers against the Astros hitters, still 1 for 15 on Biggio, 0 for 9 for Ensberg, 2 for 9 on Ausmus, and 1 for 9 on Lee can not be ignored. He is also backed by an underrated bullpen that has the long relief pitchers to fill in multiple innings for a struggling pitcher, as they proved last night. Unlike the Astros, who used their best bullpen pitcher in multiple innings of work, the three best Pirates bullpen pitchers had one inning or less of work.
The Pirates also have a good chance to back Armas with ideal run support, as they get to face a sub par pitcher as well. As expected, Rodriguez got a reality check in his last start, as he simply is not good enough to keep solid numbers sustained for long periods of time. Despite not going up against a terribly talented lineup, it is a lineup that has a few hitters with past success against him in limited at bats, and a lineup that has been much more potent at home the last three years. Despite not much difference in productive against southpaws compared to right handed pitchers this year, the Pirates lineup matches up much better against left handed pitching. The Astros long relief is a mess right now, and Rodriguez is not an ideal candidate to go deep into games, especially with a career road ERA near six.