There could be a really telltale sign early on for live bettors this Saturday when the Seattle Mariners (41-48 SU, -13.10 Units) face off with the New York Yankees (48-40 SU, +0.62 Units).
PITCHING MATCHUP
No one is doubting the fact that Hisashi Iwakuma can throw the baseball. The man put up fantastic stats for three straight seasons with the M's, but this year, we have to wonder if Father Time has gotten the better of him.
You don't think of Iwakuma as an old man, but he is now 34-years old after pitching, and he has years of pitches under his belt from his days pitching in Japan.
Back problems put the Japanese star on the DL for the better part of three months, and it wasn't until his last start against the Angels that he really started to look like a dominant force once again.
That day, Iwakuma struck out six and allowed just three hits over eight shutout innings. It was the first time Iwakuma threw more than 95 pitches in a game since the middle of last year, a great sign that he is as strong as ever.
But was it an anomaly? That's what live bettors have to ask themselves. Iwakuma looked visibly frustrated at the end of last season and the beginning of this year, and it showed. He allowed at least four earned runs in each of his starts this year before last weekend's game against the Halos, and he allowed a total of 20 runs in his last five starts of last season as well.
We needn't have any worries about Michael Pineda from a live betting standpoint. Pineda has been a rock for the Yanks this year. He has just a 3.64 ERA, and what keeps him out of the big innings is the fact that he just keeps throwing strikes.
Pineda has issued just 13 walks this year over 106.1 innings, and his K/9 is an awesome 9.40.
ADVANCED STATS
It should also be noted that Pineda has done a great job keeping the ball down in the zone this year. His power numbers against him have been reasonable (10 home runs allowed in 17 starts), and that should really help him against the Mariners.
The Mariners just haven't generated much against right-handed pitchers this year. As a team, they are batting just .240 against righties, and they are striking out just a tick under 20 percent of the time. Their splits against lefties aren't much better, but what should be noted is the fact that they have a team ISO of just .118 against righties against .140 versus all of baseball.
With Pineda keeping the ball down and the Mariners' offense limited for power options against righties, there's a good chance that live bettors won't get the chance to have any really big innings when betting on the visitors.
TALKING BULLPENS
The Yankees only have nine losses this year out of their bullpen, fifth best in the bigs, and they have the rest of the splits to suggest that they can be trusted as well.
Their FIP is 3.40, and their bullpen's aggregate WAR is 3.6, just 0.1 behind the Dodgers for the league lead.
Yes, Andrew Miller has struggled just a bit since coming back from the disabled list, while Dellin Betances couldn't possibly stay as strong in June and July as he was in April and May, but percentages are still going to be on your side as live bettors if the Yanks are up in a game late on with this bullpen to rely on to keep throwing zeroes on the board.
The MLB odds for this game will be available first at BookMaker Sportsbook. Gamble on the game between every half inning with BookMaker's live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen in the next at-bat or how many runs will be scored in the next inning. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone with BookMaker's new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here, and start wagering today! First pitch for the game between the Seattle Mariners and the New York Yankees is scheduled for Saturday, July 18, 2015 at 1:05 p.m. ET at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, NY. The contest will be televised live on the MLB Network.
