Los Angeles Angels (3-4) – Jared Weaver -115, 8.5 O/U at Seattle Mariners (6-2) – Jarrod Washburn +105, 8.5 O/U, Safeco Field, Seattle, Wash., 10:10 PM EST, Wednesday
by Badger of Predictem.com
The Seattle Mariners will try and continue their surprising start to the 2009 season when they send veteran lefty Jarrod Washburn out to the mound Wednesday versus their American League West rival Los Angeles Angels and their young right-hander Jered Weaver.
There are plenty of reasons to be proud fan of the Mariners right now.
The Mariners, at 6-2, are off to their best start since the 2001 season and their current five-game winning streak is longer than any winning streak they had in all of their dismal 2008 campaign.
They’re coming off of a boisterous and eventful opening day game at Safeco Field yesterday, where Mariner fans welcomed back Ken Griffey, Jr. with a roar and starting pitcher Carlos Silva went seven strong innings (4 hits, 2 runs) to lead the M’s to a 3-2 victory in 10 innings.
Plus, the Mariners will regain the services of outfielder Ichiro Suzuki tonight after starting the season the 15-day disabled list with a stomach strain.
Oddsmakers don’t seem to think the momentum that is on the Mariners side right now will amount to much, as they have pegged the Angels and Weaver as slim -115 favorites on the moneyline. The Mariners and Washburn are listed as +105 underdogs on the dimeline, while the over/under total is listed at 8.5 at most offshore sportsbooks on the Internet.
There are many reasons why the Angels are the favorites going into the contest tonight, and one of them is that Weaver has had some good luck versus the Mariners in his career. Weaver is 6-2 in his 11 career starts versus the M’s with a 5.07 ERA, but it hasn’t been exactly easy as the Mariners have a .299 batting average against him and his 1.46 WHIP versus them isn’t stellar either.
Weaver is also coming off of a great first outing of the season too. Pitching in the game following the loss of teammate Nick Adenhart, Weaver went 6.2 innings and gave up just 4 hits and one run in the Angels 6-3 victory over Boston last Friday.
But solid pitching is the reason the Mariners have gotten off to such a hot start, as the staff ERA of 2.75 is 2nd in all of baseball and the staff WHIP of .75 is 3rd in MLB. Washburn is a huge part of those numbers as he went 8 innings and gave up only 5 hits in his 2-0 shutout victory over Minnesota last Thursday.
In his career, Washburn is 4-5 in 10 starts versus the Angels with a 4.31 ERA, a .286 opponent’s batting average and a 1.34 WHIP.
Offensively both teams are off to slow starts at the dish. The Mariners are ranked 22nd in the league scoring 4.38 runs per game, and the Angels are right behind them ranked 23rd with 4.0 runs per contest. The Angels are hitting .262 as a team compared to the Mariners mark of .253. But the Angels do a great job of manufacturing runs and putting pressure on defenses, as they are currently 2nd in baseball with 9 steals as a team.
Look for some non-regulars to get a start for the Angels tonight, as both Robb Quinlan and outfielder Reggie Willits have great histories versus Washburn. Quinlan is .417 with a homerun and a double in 24 plate appearances versus the lefty, while Willits has four hits and a walk in his six appearances versus Washburn (.800 BA). Vlad Guerrero (.379, 3 HR, 3 2B in 30 AB) and Erick Aybar (.571 in 10 PA) also have had some good success versus the Mariners lefty in their careers.
For Seattle, the return of Ichiro could be a spark along with newly acquired Franklin Gutierrez, who has been a great addition to the lineup, hits Weaver well (3-for-5, .600) and started the Mariners 10th-inning rally yesterday with a leadoff double. Kenji Johjima (.370, 2 2B, 10- for-27) and Jose Lopez (.300, HR, 2B in 31 PA) also have had success versus Weaver in the past.
If you’re a fan of monitoring betting trends, the fact that the over is 9-0 in Weaver’s last nine starts versus the Mariners has to jump off the page at you. Also, prior to last night the Angels have had they’re way at Safeco Field, going 7-1 (now 7-2) in their last nine meetings in Seattle.
Badger’s Pick: Both teams hit nearly .300 off of the opposing starter, and both are due for a breakout game at the plate, especially the Angels. So take the over of 8.5.
MLB Pick of the Day - We analyze all the games on each day's card and post the bet that we feel has the best chance of winning.
Expert MLB Baseball Picks - Get free daily winning predictions from professional sports handicappers!
2012 American League Predictions - Badger lists every AL team including their odds to win their division and the pennant, then gives his picks on who he thinks will cash.
World Series Predictions - Badger gives his favorite, middle of the road and longshot takes on who he thinks will prevail in the Fall Classic.
Dimeline Sportsbooks - If your not betting at a sportsbook that offers dimlines your wasting money!
Overnight Lines - Bet on tomorrows games tonight. Get better value with opening lines and odds before the sharps hit them and suck the value out.
5Dimes - Offers 10 cent lines and college baseball betting!
Alternative Runlines - Also +2.5 runlines which turns MLB into a point spread sport!
Rules - Innings requirements, listed pitchers, action, rainouts, suspended games. We cover it all!
What is Whip in Baseball? - Ever seen the world WHIP associated with baseball stats? It's one of the most important factors in handicapping. Increase your winning percentage today by reading this article!
How do you Calculate ERA? - We've got the answer to a stat question asked by many.
How to Calculate Batting Average - We all know what it is but but how do you calculate it? Click and learn.
What is... - Answers to MANY questions regarding America's pastime and from around the diamond.
Famous Baseball Quotes - From Yogi Berra to Casey Stengel, we list some of the greatest words ever spoken on the diamond.