MLB Baseball
2009-08-01 - Houston Astros at St. Louis Cardinals
A Sports Betting Pick by BetOnline
Baseball: United States, MLB
Saturday, August 1st 2009, 7:10 PM ET
MLB Betting – Wandy, Astros try to put heat on Cards in Central
Sports betting fans know the Cubs are making the biggest noise in the National League Central division these days, but the Houston Astros and St. Louis Cardinals are nipping at their heels.
Saturday night features a marquee pitching matchup between breakout star Wandy Rodriguez and Cy Young contender Chris Carpenter.
Houston Astros (51-51 overall – 23-26 road)
Time and time again, people doubt Wandy Rodriguez (10-6, 2.65) yet, time and time again, he’s silenced those detractors this season. He’s emerged as a legitimate ace this season and July was his best month, as he went 4-0 with a 0.75 ERA.
Rogriguez is red-hot entering his clash with the Cards, though it’s worth noting that, while July is his second-best month statistically, August (6-9, 5.37) is his worst. However, he does have a 3.38 career ERA at Busch Stadium, so he should keep the Cardinal bats in check.
The Astros miss Lance Berkman, who remains on the shelf with a strained calf, but Carlos Lee is doing the work of two men in his absence. Lee’s hitting .300 with four homers and 14 RBI in 14 games since the All-Star break.
St. Louis Cardinals (56-49 overall – 29-22 home)
You can’t blame the Cards for feeling confident every time Chris Carpenter (9-3, 2.19) takes the hill, especially at home.
Carpenter is 5-1 with a 1.76 ERA at Busch Stadium this season and he has a good track record against Houston (5-3, four complete games, two shutouts), so Houston’s mediocre lineup has to work hard to get to him.
Newly acquired slugger Matt Holliday has been a revelation to say the least; he’s hitting .520 with six RBI in seven games since joining the Cards.
The Betting Verdict
It’s tempting to bet on Wandy and the Astros since he’s pitching so well, but the splits favor Carpenter, who is dominant at home.
The Cardinals’ lineup is also deeper with Holliday and newcomer Julio Lugo, who is also swinging a hot stick since arriving from Boston.
You should consider betting under the total with two aces facing off, but pick the Cards in the end.
The Pick :
St. Louis Cardinals
