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Is this the year the Chicago Cubs finally get over the hump after over a century of misery without a championship? The oddsmakers think so and have lined them as the favorites to win it all. Their quest for the elusive World Series ring will start in Anaheim on Monday night against the Los Angeles Angels.
You can bet on MLB odds at BookMaker.eu every day of the season.
PITCHING MATCHUP
By any metric imaginable, Jake Arrieta was the man last season for the Cubs. He's had a history of injuries, so we're not so sure about his long-term prospects this year after pitching deep into October a year ago, but for this one game, live bettors should remain confident.
Arrieta went 22-6 with a 1.77 ERA last season, and he was even better on the road at 13-1 with a 1.60 ERA than he was at home. Batters only hit .185 against him last season, and we have a tough time imagining the Angels doing much in the way of damage in this one.
Garrett Richards though, has been proven time and time again to keep his team in games, and he's going to be worthy of consideration in live betting in this game. Though Richards went just 15-12 last year, his 3.65 ERA was once again consistent with his career marks.
It's really tough to get more than a few runs off of Richards. He only really had one dominant start after a July 18 shutout of the Red Sox, but he also allowed more than four runs just once in that stretch.
Live bettors will have to see how Arrieta is doing as well, but especially if he's just a tiny bit off as he has been for the most part in Spring Training, Richards could end up stealing the show.
ADVANCED STATS
Anthony Rizzo could be a man to watch in this game. His power against righties last year was off the charts, as he had an OPS of .905 and an ISO of .265. One can imagine that he's only going to show improvement at the outset of this year after a full season with the big league team, and the fact that Richards is a big strike thrower, yet not a big strikeout pitcher is going to play in his favor.
Kris Bryant's numbers were also good against righties with a .215 ISO and .875 OPS, and though those stats aren't off the charts, when he and Rizzo are both swinging the bat well, this Chicago offense becomes one of the most lethal in baseball, and live bettors shouldn't forget that in this game.
TALKING BULLPENS
Few teams strikeout as much as Chicago does. The Cubs do a lot of flailing, but they might find themselves making more contact in this game, especially as Richards starts to run out of gas.
Not only is Richards not a huge strikeout pitcher, but neither are many of the main arms in this bullpen. Huston Street had a low K/9 by closer standards at just 8.23, and only Fernando Salas had a K/9 of better than 9.00 in this unit.
Live bettors should know just how dangerous the Cubs are when they get their bats on the ball, and if the Halos aren't careful, there could be some balls leaving the yard thanks to the lack of strikeouts they're getting in this baseball game.
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker's live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here, so start betting with BookMaker today! The ballgame pitting the Chicago Cubs versus the Los Angeles Angels will commence at 10:05 p.m. ET on Monday, April 4, 2016 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. The matchup will be televised live on ESPN2.
