On The Hop's 2014 Baseball

[OnTheHop]

Rough year last year. Finally gave up in August. Results are here: http://www.therxforum.com/showthread.php?t=952294&page=9


On to a new season with a slightly new methodology.


If I play a favorite I am playing that much to win a unit. If I play a dog I am playing a unit to win that amount.

March 30, 2014 (0-0, EVEN)

San Diego Padres (EVEN), 1 unit: Cashner is a very underrated pitcher with a strong bullpen behind him. The Dodgers are a very public team on a national tv game to open the season. They've also traveled across the globe in the last few weeks and are dealing with some negativity with the injury news to Kershaw. I'll grab the Padres at home to open up the season.

 

[OnTheHop]

March 31, 2014 (1-0, +1)

Sorry, no time for write ups today.
Milwaukee Brewers (+106), 1 unit
Tampa Bay Rays (-1, -119), 1 unit
Chicago Cubs (1st 5, +165), 1 unit
Seattle Mariners (1st 5, +109), 1 unit
Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers o7 (-115), 1 unit
Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers u8 (-115), 1 unit

 

[OnTheHop]

April 1, 2014 (3-2-2 +.91)

ML Parlay: Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees (+192), 1 unit: When I find matchups that I like but the juice is a little more than I want, I'll parlay them together. It usually involves a significant pitching advantage combined with the better hitting team. I think I have that here.

 

[OnTheHop]

April 2, 2014 (3-3-2 -.09)

Milwaukee Brewers (-1, +117), 1 unit: The Braves are in trouble, recycling pitchers and today they throw Harang. I'll grab Garza with the more potent lineup at home.
Colorado Rockies (+103), 1 unit: Good start to the season for the fish but those were two lopsided pitching matchups. This is more of an even matchup on the mound and the Rockies have the more dynamic bats.
St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds u7 (+115), 1 unit: Two dynamic young pitchers against lineups that have not seen much of them. Early season good pitchers tend to hold down good hitters.
Los Angeles Dodgers (-105), 1 unit: Really like what I saw from Haren towards the end of last season and while Ross is ready for a breakout, his last few Spring starts were not good.
Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers u7 (+115), 1 unit: Scherzer is..Scherzer and Vargas' numbers look good against Detroit. Solid bullpens here as well that are rested with the day off.
Tampa Bay Rays (-1, -114), 1 unit: The opportunity to go against Buehrle on the road in division with a solid pitcher on the mound and Reyes out? Yes, please.
New York Yankees (-1, -124), 1 unit: This is an overreaction to two bad innings by Sabathia yesterday.
San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks u9 (-120), 1 unit: Hudson is consistently underrated and will impress for his new team. Cahill gets a lineup without Scutaro and Posey.

 

[OnTheHop]

April 3, 2014 (8-6-2 +1.86)

Minnesota Twins (+128), 1 unit: Hughes is going get a "rebirth" being away from New York and the media spotlight. He's got good stuff and if they get this game in today I like his chances.
Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates u7 (-105), 1 unit: Get away day. Two tired teams. I expect them to want to get out of there as soon as possible. Lots of swings, early and often.
Kansas City Royals (+141), 1 unit: Ventura is a guy I've had my eye on for awhile. No doubt Sanchez was very good with the Tigers last season. The Royals have seen him a few times now and I think that gives them an advantage over the Tigers who have not faced Ventura.
Seattle Mariners (+125), 1 unit: Situational play for me. Two inexperienced pitchers. One team is riding momentum and is fairly well rested after an easy win last night. The other is coming off a doubleheader where everyone and their brother was used. I'll go with the hotter, more rested team.
New York Mets (1st 5, +102), 1 unit: Was going to play this one before Zimmerman was scratched. Like it a little more now. Wheeler was overshadowed by Harvey last season but has fantastic stuff and should shut the Nats down. If only the Mets can find a way to score a run or two.

 

[XSPower]

Good luck today my friend!!!!

 

[OnTheHop]

April 4, 2014 (10-8-2 +2.14)

Parlay: New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels (+193)
Parlay: Los Angeles Dodgers and Kansas City Royals (+173)
Cincinnati Reds (-109), 1 unit: Two good pitchers going tonight. Road Mike Leake is so much better than home Mike Leake and there is no comparison between the bats.
New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays u8 (+106), 1 unit: Tanaka seems to be as good as advertised. Combine that with the Yankees travel schedule and their early season inability to hit and I'll take the under.

 

[OnTheHop]

April 7, 2014 (10-11-2 -.05)

Houston Astros (+141), 1 unit: Hard to imagine but the Astros bats are hotter right now and they have the better pitcher on the mound.
Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees u8 (-110), 1 unit: Kuroda dominates the Orioles at home, Yankee bats are still cold and they are facing a pitcher who has given them trouble in the past.
Kansas City Royals (-108), 1 unit: Really like the Royals bats this year and while Vargas does not inspire a ton of confidence he certainly has good numbers against all the Rays except Zobrist.

 

[indiana]

Hop............good luck today.............indy

 

[OnTheHop]

Thanks indy.....hope all is well.

 

[OnTheHop]

April 8, 2014 (12-12-2 +.95)

Milwaukee Brewers (-105), 1 unit: Not enough attention is being paid to the good things the Brewers are doing to start the season. Lohse is a very good pitcher going against a bad team and a mediocre starter in Kendrick.
Kansas City Royals (+104), 1 unit: Two talented young pitchers match up in this one. I'll go with the home team that has the better lineup and bullpen.
Chicago Cubs (+110), 1 unit: I'm still waiting for the Charlie Morton collapse. It may never come. Nonetheless, Jackson has good numbers against the Pirates and gives them a legitimate shot to win today.

 

[OnTheHop]

April 9, 2014 (13-14-2 -.05)

Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals u7 (+120), 1 unit: Two good pitchersina get away game. Cards could rest some regulars today with the series wrapped up.
New York Mets (+137), 1 unit: Wheeler traditionally does well against the Braves and on the road. Will take my chances against Santana who is on my fade list this year.
Minnesota Twins (+121), 1 unit: For some reason I continue to back Hughes. I still think the move to Minnesota will be good for him.

 

[OnTheHop]

Adds:

Rays/Royals o8.5 (-120), 1u
Tigers/Dodgers o7 (-119), 1u
Rockies and Yankees (+163), 1u

 

[OnTheHop]

April 10, 2014 (16-17-2 -.05)


Arizona Diamondbacks (+113), 1 unit: Two pitchers that have really struggled recently. However I like Delgado's historical numbers against the Giants a lot more than I like Vogelsong's against the Diamondbacks.
Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals u7 (+103), 1 unit: Strasburg is allegedly struggling. However he does very well against the Marlins. Kohler had a nice start his last time out and with a get away day I'll grab the under.
Philadelphia Phillies (-119), 1 unit: Not sure there is a hotter team than the Brewers. However the pitching mismatch is too much to ignore. It's not just Lee versus Estrada but it's their history versus their opponents. I'll take the home team to avoid the sweep in this one.
Oakland A's and Minnesota Twins u8 (+105), 1 unit: After the marathon yesterday I think these two just want to get it over with. Straily is fantastic and Pelfrey should be good enough to hold this under the total.
New York Yankees (-103), 1 unit: Really like the way Pineda threw the ball last time out. Buchholz owned the Yankees last year but has not been the same pitcher since his injury last year. Yankees are embarrassed after last year and I expect their best effort tonight.

 

[OnTheHop]

April 11, 2014 (19-19-2 +.89)

Parlay: San Francisco Giants and Chicago White Sox (+158), 1 unit
Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves u7 (-103), 1 unit: Two pitchers that have had success against their opponents. Solid bullpens on the back end and a bit of an inflated number due to a few GS by the Nationals over the last two days.
Tampa Bay Rays and Cincinnati Reds u7 (-110), 1 unit: Two of the best pitchers in the game facing lineups that have not had a lot of looks at them.
Milwaukee Brewers (-108), 1 unit: Brewers come home from a dominant road trip with hot bats. They put one of their lesser known but more dominant starters out there against a Pittsburgh team showing good numbers due to a series with the Cubs.
New York Yankees (+110), 1 unit: Sabathia's numbers do not look good but on closer inspection it's been one bad inning each outing. The Yankees bats are starting to come to life and the same cannot be said for the Red Sox.
San Diego Padres (-101), 1 unit: Almost any time I can back Cashner at home with a short number I'm going to do it.

 

[XSPower]

Good luck today!!!!

 

[OnTheHop]

Thanks XS....hope all is well.

 

[OnTheHop]

April 12, 2014 (23-21-2 +3.44)

Philadelphia Phillies (-111), 1 unit: At first glance it looks like the Marlins have the better pitcher. After looking closer, Pettibone has nice numbers against Miami. Also a win like last night against a great starter can definitely give a team some confidence and get their bats going.
Toronto Blue Jays (+115), 1 unit: Playing against Norris. That is all.
Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox u8 (+115), 1 unit: Looking at the numbers of the two starters, over would be the play. Upon closer look, Masterson seems to have had some mechanical issues that he has fixed and Paulino traditionally dominates Cleveland.
Parlay: St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Angels (+137)
Parlay: Milwaukee Brewers and Kansas City Royals (+189)
New York Yankees (-106), 1 unit: Both pitchers throwing it well. Neither lineup doing much with the bats. The difference is while Kuroda is his usual self against the Red Sox, Lackey is a disaster against the Yankees.

 

[OnTheHop]

April 13, 2014 (25-25-2 +1.44)

Los Angeles Dodgers (-118), 1 unit: Haren looks like the Haren of old. Cahill looks really bad. I'll go with the better pitcher and better lineup even on the road.
Pittsburgh Pirates (+107), 1 unit: Hard to go against the Brewers freight train right now. However, Lohse is on the verge of a blow up and has awful numbers against the Pirates. On the other hand Morton has turned himself into a talented pitcher and dominates the Brewers.
Philadelphia Phillies (-118), 1 unit: Backing Kendrick is a tough sell. However looking at his numbers against the Marlins, I'll take my chances. On the other hand, Alvarez is on the verge of something but he has not quite figured it out yet. Tons of momentum for the Phillies after beating Fernandez and then a walk off last night.
Cincinnati Reds (-1, +107), 1 unit: Not sure how the Rays are going to get through this game. They're throwing a reliever to start and then it's bullpen work after he tires. On the other hand you have one of the top young starters in baseball who has been dominant to start the season.
Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles o9 (+100), 1 unit: It pains me to take a game over a number this big. Especially when Buehrle is on the hill after his last two gems. However, history tells us that Buehrle on the road in division is not a good thing. Jimenez is a mess right now. It's warm in Baltimore and the ball will carry.

 

[HacheMan]

GL today OTH