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MLB Parlay Picks for Saturday, April 27, 2024

Thursday, April 25, 2024

If you?re a fan of interleague play in MLB, the schedule for Saturday, April 27 has everything you want. Seven of 15 games cross leagues with the most intriguing matchup between the Cleveland Guardians and Atlanta Braves. The team formerly known as the Indians is off to a hot start leading the AL at 17-6 following Tuesday?s win over Boston. The Braves have been on the warpath as well winning eight of nine games following their 5-0 win over Miami on Tuesday, their second straight shutout. Cleveland is also the most profitable team in the bigs up $975 after Tuesday?s triumph.

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MLB Parlay Picks for Saturday, April 27, 2024

Rays RL

Dodgers / Blue Jays UNDER

Cubs / Red Sox OVER

$100 to win $600

I was a few runs away from another winning three-team MLB parlay last week. The Braves beat Texas outright for one successful pick and the Philadelphia Phillies covered the 1.5 run line in their 9-5 triumph over the hapless White Sox. Unfortunately I lost when the light-hitting Giants erupted for 16 hits and seven runs to beat Arizona 7-3 going over the total of 7.5.

You might want to wager on the team playing the White Sox, which happens to be Tampa Bay on Saturday. The Sox lost 20 of their first 23 games and you won?t get much value on the moneyline betting against them. So, I?ll move the odds in my favor and back the Rays to win by at least two runs covering the spread.

There is a potential pitcher?s duel in Toronto between the Dodgers and Blue Jays. LA landed Tyler Glasnow in the offseason and he?s been solid posting a 2.92 ERA in six starts. He tossed eight shutout innings to beat the Mets in his last start and will have to be sharp with Yusei Kikuchi on the bump for the Jays. In five starts Kikuchi has a 2.28 ERA and both starters have impeccable control limiting base runners and runs, which is why I?m backing the UNDER.

The matchup between the Cubs and Red Sox is interesting because of the history of the franchises. The teams have also been productive on offense with the Cubs averaging nearly 5.5 runs and the Boston clubbing the second most home runs in the majors. Something about these historic teams in tidy Fenway Park screams OVER and I?m listening to the voices. I just hope I?m not crazy.

MLB Same Game Parlay

Mariners ML

Diamondbacks / Mariners UNDER

$100 to win $225

With interleague play a theme I have to stick to the script and use one of the seven matchups on my same game parlay. Don?t look now but the Mariners jumped into first place in the AL West with their 4-0 win over Texas on Tuesday. It was Seattle?s sixth win in seven games behind a pitching staff that tossed a pair of shutouts and allowed three runs or less in every game. The offense has been more productive with a group that doesn?t strike out as much, but pitching has been the difference and is why I?m backing the Mariners straight up and the UNDER. The staff ranks among the top 5 in ERA and boasts the lowest WHIP in the majors. I?m not convinced Arizona is as good as people think they are. They got hot in the playoffs last year but won just 84 regular season games, which was fewer than the M?s.

MLB Schedule for Saturday, April 27

Dodgers at Blue Jays, 3:07 p.m. ET

Reds at Rangers, 4:05 p.m. ET / FOX

Athletics at Orioles, 4:05 p.m. ET

Cardinals at Mets, 4:05 p.m. ET / FOX

Cubs at Red Sox, 4:10 p.m. ET

Nationals at Marlins, 4:10 p.m. ET

Astros at Rockies, 6:05 p.m. ET

Royals at Tigers, 6:10 p.m. ET

Yankees at Brewers, 7:10 p.m. ET

Rays at White Sox, 7:10 p.m. ET

Guardians at Braves, 7:20 p.m. ET

Phillies at Padres, 8:40 p.m. ET

Pirates at Giants, 9:05 p.m. ET

Twins at Angels, 9:38 p.m. ET

Diamondbacks at Mariners, 9:40 p.m. ET / FS1

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MLB Parlay Picks for Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Moay, April 22, 2024

All 30 teams are in action on Wednesday, April 24 giving bettors every option to build a winning MLB parlay. If you had the Cleveland Guardians as the team with the most wins at the start of the new betting week, congratulations. Maybe you should play more MLB parlays. The team formerly known as the Indians finished off a three-game sweep of Oakland on Sunday scoring 22 runs in the series and is 7-1 in its last eight contests. After taking two of three last week Cleveland hosts Boston in the middle of a three-game set. Their recent surge has the Guardians as the most profitable team in MLB up $829. I haven?t hit a winning MLB parlay since opening day with the Dodgers blowing my chance last week. A 2-0 loss to the Nationals sent my ticket to the trash. Those teams also square off with LA in a minor tailspin.

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MLB Parlay Picks for Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Guardians ML

Phillies / Reds OVER

Rangers ML

$100 to win $600

Baseball is all about momentum and right now the Guardians have some serious mojo on their side. They swept Oakland over the weekend by a combined score of 22-7 for their seventh win in eight games. Owners of the best record in the AL at 16-6 it?s the team?s best start in 25 years. Last week they took three of four in Boston with timely hitting and solid pitching. I?ll ride the hot team on the moneyline as one of my MLB parlay picks.

When a stadium gets a reputation as a hitters park it could be because the home team has a poor pitching staff. Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati has the label even with an improved Reds pitching staff. What makes the game with Philadelphia more intriguing is the Phils recent offensive surge. They won their sixth straight on Sunday, 8-2, over the White Sox averaging 7.2 runs in the last five games of the streak. The teams cashed the OVER in six of eight prior meetings, including the last three in Cincy, and I?m betting they do it again.

The top teams in the AL West face each other when Seattle visits Texas. Globe Life Field has been a house of horrors for the Mariners, who lost all six games in Arlington last year and seven straight overall. The M?s are coming off a Sunday doubleheader entering this series with an exhausted bullpen. Also, the Rangers will enjoy some home cooking after just completing a 10-game road trip.

MLB Same Game Parlay

Padres ML

Padres / Rockies UNDER

$100 to win $225

The NL West foes have routinely played high scoring games, especially in Denver, but with a total upwards of 12 in those games they cashed the UNDER in four of six meetings last year. It?s safe to say both clubs have declined offensively from last season so I?m leaning toward the UNDER again. Also, the Rockies are not a good baseball team sporting the worst record in the NL. With a staff ERA over 6.00 and averaging 3.8 runs, losing games happens more times than not. The Padres have been around .500 all season and that?s probably right where they?ll end up. Pitching has been a pleasant surprise keeping them in a lot of games and I expect they?ll be in this one with more runs when it?s all said and done.

MLB Schedule for Wednesday, April 24

Diamondbacks at Cardinals, 1:15 p.m. ET

Mets at Giants, 3:45 p.m. ET

Orioles at Angels, 4:07 p.m. ET

Red Sox at Guardians, 6:10 p.m. ET

Brewers at Pirates, 6:40 p.m. ET

Phillies at Reds, 6:40 p.m. ET

Dodgers at Nationals, 6:45 p.m. ET

Tigers at Rays, 6:50 p.m. ET

A?s at Yankees, 7:05 p.m. ET

Marlins at Braves, 7:20 p.m. ET

White Sox at Twins, 7:40 p.m. ET

Astros at Cubs, 7:40 p.m. ET

Blue Jays at Royals, 7:40 p.m. ET

Mariners at Rangers, 8:05 p.m. ET

Padres Rockies, 8:40 p.m. ET

Check out the latest odds at BookMaker

2023 World Baseball Classic Preview - Bet on Baseball

Tuesday, February 28, 2023

With Team Dominican Republic, Team USA, and Team Japan pegged as the countries to beat, it's no surprise that the powerhouse trio listed as odds-on favorites emerge from their respective pools.

Even though the betting market has projected them to advance to the single-elimination bracket, we could be in store for some upsets in arguably the most talented International Baseball Tournament ever.

2023 World Baseball Classic Odds

Dominican Republic +200

USA +275, Japan +300

Venezuela +1000

Puerto Rico +1100

Korea Republic +1200

Mexico +2000

Cuba +2500

Chinese Taipei +5000

Canada +5000

Netherlands +6500

Australia +13000

Colombia +13000

Israel +15000

Italy +15000

Panama +15000

Great Britain +20000

Nicaragua +20000

China +20000

Czech Republic +50000

2023 World Baseball Classic Top Contenders

Team Cuba +2500

While Cuba hasn't had much success in the WBC, it's in a favorable part of the bracket that should reach at least the eight-team, single-elimination round.

White Sox stars Luis Robert and Yoan Moncada headline the roster, and ex-MLBer Yoenis Cespedes is also back on the big stage. A good chunk of the roster plays their professional ball in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball Organization, with three of their better pitchers, Yariel Rodriguez, Radiel Martinez, and Livan Moinelo, hailing from the NPB. It makes sense to see Cuba listed as the team to beat, but Team Netherlands could give them a run for their money.

Team Japan +300

The two-time World Champions get to play their first-round games at the Tokyo Dome, and with a roster that's got depth all over the field, it's likely Samurai Japan takes care of business on their home soil.

Manager Hideki Kuriyama's 30-man squad includes MLB stars Shohei Ohtani and Yu Darvish and 2022 breakouts Lars Nootbaar and Seiya Suzuki. Samurai Japan has a loaded pitching staff that consists of NPB stars Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki.

Yamamoto's won two consecutive MVPs, his latest coming after throwing 193 innings with a 1.68 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP. Sasaki also threw the first perfect game in NPB in 28 years with 19 strikeouts.

Outside of the 2021 AL MVP and '22 runner-up Ohtani, newly signed Red Sox outfielder, Masataka Yoshida, provides a disciplined, top-of-the-order bat with some pop. Nootbar's making history as the first player born outside the country to play for Team Japan, but his mother hails from Japan. Between their pitching depth and well-rounded lineup, Samurai Japan has a real chance to win their third WBC title in five tries.

Team USA +275

Team USA is priced with the second-highest odds to win the WBC behind the Dominican Republic, and another deep run in the WBC is the expectation for Mark DeRosa's squad. Their pitching staff isn't as top-heavy as the Dominican Republic and Japan. Still, Lance Lynn, Miles Mikolas, Adam Wainwright, Brady Singer, and Merrill Kelly highlight a well-rounded starting rotation. The back of the bullpen should be lights out in pool play, with Daniel Bard, David Bednar, Ryan Pressly, and Devin Williams holding down late-inning leads.

The lineup is loaded 1-9 with Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, and Kyle Tucker roaming the outfield. While Trea Turner, Pete Alonso, Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt, Tim Anderson, Jeff McNeil, and Bobby Witt Jr. make up arguably the most talented US infield. Catchers J.T. Realmuto and Will Smith round out the star-studded Team USA roster.

Team Dominican Republic +200

The DR has zero weaknesses, with a starting infield that will likely consist of Manny Machado, Jeremy Pena, Wander Franco, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The outfield is just as talented with Juan Soto, Julio Rodriguez, and Teoscar Hernandez, while their pitching staff led by 2022 NL Cy Young Sandy Alcantara, Cristian Javier, Gregory Soto, and Rafael Montero is going to lockdown offenses. Team Dominican Republic has too much talent to list all its contributors, but the betting market has correctly identified them as the team to beat.

Team Korea +1200

MLB infielders Ha-Seong Kim and Tommy Edman will provide solid defense up the middle and likely hit toward the top of the lineup. Current Kiwoom Heroes outfielder Jung-Hoo Lee is set to be posted after the upcoming KBO season and should stabilize the middle of the order. KBO stars Jeong Choi, Baek-Ho Kang, and Eui-ji Yang can have a productive tournament at the plate to help Team Korea push through to the second round.

Former Cardinals starter Kwang-Hyun Kim is the most notable pitcher on the staff, but lefthander Chang-Mo Koo has just as impressive of an arsenal. Team Korea has to rely on rolling lots of ground balls for their infield, and we'll see if they have enough swing-and-miss stuff to post a good enough strikeout rate to make a run.

Team Puerto Rico +1100

Puerto Rico finished as the runner-up in the past two WBCs. But this year, making it past the pool play round will be as challenging as ever. Infield duo Francisco Lindor and Javier Baez will do their best to help Puerto Rico compete with the DR and Venezuela, and while the roster is loaded with current MLB talent, it has a brutal draw that's pegged it as the third-best team in Pool D.

Team Venezuela +1000

Venezuela's infield of Jose Altuve, Luis Arraez, Miguel Cabrera, Andres Gimenez, and Eugenio Suarez has a boatload of talent. At the same time, their outfield of Ronald Acuna Jr., David Peralta, and Anthony Santander can hold their own. Venezuela also has a bevy of impressive arms consisting of Ranger Suarez, Pablo Lopez, German Marquez, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Jose Alvarado.

Check out the latest odds at BookMaker

Little League World Series Championship Games Odds and Preview

Friday, Augu 23, 2019

The final four in the 2019 Little League World Series is set and the favorite from both the International and United States bracket are on a collision course to meet in the final. There is one order of business up first, and that?s getting to the final. West Region winner Hawai?i will take on Louisiana to decide the U.S. representative.

Japan has annihilated the competition and is the odds on favorite at top online sportsbooks to bring home the title for the international side. Japan and Curacao will tangle for the international championship. Both games are scheduled to be played on Saturday, August 24, at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport, Penn. The international final is set for a 12:30 p.m. first pitch with the U.S. championship at 3:30 p.m. ET. Both games will be televised on ABC.

Little League World Series Odds at BookMaker.eu

International Team wins LLWS -180
U.S. Team wins LLWS +140

2019 Little League World Series Schedule ? Saturday, August 24

Curacao (Caribbean) vs. Chofu City (Japan), 12:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

It?s hard to imagine the Japanese not reaching the final the way the boys from Chofu City have played. The team cruised through the Japan Region outscoring opponents 37-1 in four victories. That dominance has continued in Williamsport with a combined score of 32-2 in three victories. What might hurt Japan is inactivity, they haven?t played since a 7-2 win over South Korea on Wednesday.

Chofu City is looking to get Japan back in the winner?s circle after the country won five titles between 2010 and 2017, but was stopped short of the championship by South Korea last year. Japan has been such a force that the country earned an automatic entry to the LLWS in 2007. Chofu is the 30th team from Japan to qualify for the tournament and looks to win the country?s 12th title. Chofu is also trying to atone for a poor showing it had in 2016 when it became just the second Japanese team to lose its first two LLWS games.

Curacao was probably the third-best team on the international side and the Pabao LL squad from Willemstad knocked off one of the teams ranked higher. Curacao bounced back from an early loss to South Korea and atoned for that defeat by winning an elimination game 5-3. Judrick Profar, brother of MLB player Jurickson Profar, struck out eight batters and had a pair of hits. Even with a loss, Curacao has outscored opponents 33-10.

Louisiana (Southwest) vs. Hawai?i (West), 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)

The teams met in the first round with Hawai?i posting a 5-2 victory behind a stellar pitching performance from Jaren Pascual, who allowed only two unearned runs. Louisiana outhit Hawai?i 9-8 in the contest, but left 10 runners on base. Eastbank LL from River Ridge, La., responded by winning the next four games outscoring teams 27-3 to reach the bracket final. This team can hit and they win. In district and state tournaments, Eastbank outscored opponents 79-0. That?s right, 79-0.

The West Region has been a consistent threat in the LLWS. Honolulu won the third title for Hawai?i last year and has helped the region to 10 championships overall. Teams from California, Hawai?i and Arizona have also finished as runner-up 19 times. When Hawai?i gets to the LLWS look out. The past four Hawaiian teams at the LLWS went on to win the U.S. championship with three winning the whole enchilada. In three previous LLWS meetings between the states, Hawai?i has yet to lose, and that includes the matchup last week.

Mahalo to the kids from Central East Maui LL for going undefeated in bracket play while outscoring opponents 23-11 to get here. Hawai?i overcame a sluggish game against Virginia posting a 12-9 victory. Louisiana beat the same Virginia team 10-0 earlier in the tournament. Hawai?i might be favored to win the U.S. bracket, but they will have their hands full on Saturday against a feisty and dangerous Louisiana team.

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College World Series Odds ? Michigan Wolverines vs. Vanderbilt Commodores Final Series Preview

Moay, June 24, 2019

Neither the Michigan Wolverines nor the Vanderbilt Commodores have faced a loss yet in this College World Series, blowing through the competition, but something must give on Monday when these two teams kick off a three-game series to determine the national champions. We will see if either team can continue through this College World Series undefeated, both bringing plenty of momentum to their head-to-head battle.

First pitch for the final series between Michigan and Vanderbilt is slated to begin on Monday, June 24, 2019, at 7 p.m. ET at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha with the next two games, if necessary, on Tuesday and Wednesday. Each game of this series will be shown on ESPN.

You can bet on College World Series odds at BookMaker.eu.

Odds Analysis

Vanderbilt is the favorite and was the top ranked team heading to Omaha, but the overall No.1 team in the nation, UCLA, was knocked off in the Super Regionals by Michigan. Can the Wolverines do it again?

Michigan?s been red hot. They blew through Texas Tech 15-3 to clinch a trip to the Finals and held the opposition to just six runs over three games in Omaha. Vanderbilt?s win on Friday was much closer, edging out Louisville, 3-2. They allowed six runs against the opponents in three games during the College World Series, too.

Both teams breezed through the competition, even going back to the Regionals and Super Regionals rounds.

For the Wolverines, they came out of the Regionals of reigning champions, Oregon State, and then handled their business against UCLA thanks to outstanding pitching.

The Commodores, meanwhile, did get a test against Duke in the Super Regionals, losing the opener, 5-18, but came back from the blowout in a big way.

Pitching Comparison

The Wolverines? strength is on the mound and primarily in the starting rotation. The team goes three-deep in excellent starters with Tommy Henry, Karl Kauffman, and Jeff Criswell.

Kauffman kicked off the College World Series for the Wolverines with seven innings of three-run ball against Texas Tech, recording the win while Criswell pitched the final two innings, allowing just one hit and holding the Red Raiders scoreless.

Tommy Henry then followed that up with a complete-game shutout over Florida State with 10 strikeouts, three hits and no walks. And, in the clincher against Texas Tech, Kauffman came back with another quality start and Criswell, notched another save.

On the season, Criswell had the best ERA of the three starters at 2.60, though he was a bit walk-prone, but ended up 7-1 with a 1.29 WHIP in 100.1 innings. Kauffman, meanwhile, was 12-6 with a 2.75 ERA and 1.08 WHIP while Henry had a 3.27 ERA and 1.04 WHIP, both eclipsing 100 innings as well.

In the pen, Michigan does have Isaiah Paige and Willie Weiss as effective options, along with a few others, but none have gotten a chance in Omaha. Overall, this team has a 3.40 ERA and 1.24 WHIP.

Purely by the numbers, it would seem Michigan has the edge on the mound. Vanderbilt has a 3.83 ERA as a team although competition plays a factor.

Mason Hickman, Patrick Raby, Kumar Rocker, and Drake Fellows are all excellent starting options. The latter has the highest ERA at 4.15 but has 104 innings and 120 strikeouts. He has great swing-and-miss stuff if he?s able to command it.

Overall, the four-some combined to go 40-7 on the year with Hickman and Raby boasting sub-3 ERAs and Rocker, arguably, the best of the bunch. After all, he threw a no-hitter against Duke in the Super Regionals, walking just two batters and striking out 19 a day after the Blue Devils scored 18 runs.

Here in Omaha, Rocker threw six innings of one-run ball against Mississippi State, allowing five hits and a walk while striking out six.

Drake Fellows and Mason Hickman had the other two starts with Patrick Raby pitching in relief. Fellows threw seven innings of one-run ball against Louisville while Hickman held the Cardinals scoreless in a two-hit, six-inning performance prior to that.

Out of the pen, Tyler Brown has appeared in all three games in Omaha. The closer has great stuff and 58 strikeouts in 41.2 innings. He has a 2.59 ERA and 14 saves.

Offensive Breakdown

Vanderbilt has the best offense despite the 15-run onslaught by Michigan on Friday.

The Commodores have J.J. Bleday as the lynchpin in the order. The slugging outfielder was a top-5 draft pick for a reason. He?s got a .350/.464/.717 slash line with 26 homers. He?s a threat to go deep?or at least do damage?each time he steps in the box.

As good as Bleday is, the thing that makes Vanderbilt most dangerous is the depth in the lineup. Austin Martin is an on-base machine atop the order with an OBP over .500. He also offers speed to cause a distraction on the bases.

After him, there?s Bleday then a cast of .300 hitters and power options. The team has five regulars hitting over .300?including Martin?s .410 mark?and all nine starters posting an OBP of at least .244. There?s no easy out in this order. On top of that, Julian Infante, Stephen Scott, and Ethan Paul, amongst others, all offer power both in homers and doubles.

The lineup has .318 average and has hit 93 homers. By comparison, the Michigan offense has a .283 average and 72 long balls.

There is some speed and power, but the contact isn?t as good as Vanderbilt though Jordan Brewer and Jordan Nwogu are hitting .329 and .326 respectively, each with a dozen homers.

In the big win over Texas Tech on Friday, this team was clicking on all cylinders with 15 runs on 14 hits and 12 walks. The team showed an excellent batting eye and patience. Jimmy Kerr was 4-for-6 while Jesse Franklin, Blake Nelson, and Jack Blomgren all had multi-hit games as well.

MLB Pick

It?s hard to underestimate the Vanderbilt offense, but Michigan is rolling and their starters have been lights out.

The Wolverines have already proved themselves in a three-game series against UCLA, coming away with the win.

If the Commodores can get into the bullpen, they?ll have a chance as the arms there could be rusty, but the offense has been playing beyond the numbers since the start of the tournament and the Wolverines have surprised every step of the way. This is a team that has the momentum and the confidence right now to do what, just a few weeks ago, seemed impossible.

Vanderbilt may have been the favorites all along, but Michigan is showing something in this tournament and in a three-game series, it?s not always the best team on paper, but the team that?s playing the best right now. Take Michigan over Vanderbilt in this series at BookMaker.eu.

MLB Odds: Michigan in three

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College World Series Odds ? Vanderbilt Commodores vs. Louisville Cardinals Game Preview

Friday, June 21, 2019

Will the field of teams vying for the national championship dwindle even further after Friday night when the Vanderbilt Commodores and Louisville Cardinals meet up at TD Ameritrade Park? A win by the Commodores would clinch their spot in the finals and send the Cardinals packing, but can Vandy beat Louisville yet again? These two met earlier in the College World Series, but this time the Cardinals? backs are against the wall. Will that yield different results?

First pitch for the game between Vanderbilt and Louisville is scheduled for Friday, June 21, 2019, at 7 p.m. ET at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha. The matchup will be shown on ESPN.

You can bet on College World Series odds at BookMaker.eu.

Odds Analysis

The Commodores came into the College World Series as the favorites and remain standing for a reason. This is a great team, playing great baseball.

They?ve got a killer tandem atop their order that allows them to get things going quickly in Austin Martin and J.J. Bleday and a deep pitching staff that causes opposing lineups fits.

To get here, Vanderbilt has put together a 56-11 record, dominating both at home and on the road. They?re 13-2 in neutral parks, including a couple wins under the belts in Omaha already, including against the Cardinals.

Before getting to Omaha, Vandy embarrassed Ohio State and Indiana State in the Regionals and then suffered a demoralizing loss to Duke to start the Super Regionals but bounced back in a big way for a pair of wins against the Blue Devils, outscoring them 16-2 in those two games.

Here in the College World Series, we?ve seen excellent pitching?both starting and out of the pen?as well as some clutch hitting as the team?s yet to take a loss with a 3-1 win over Louisville and 6-3 win over Mississippi State.

Speaking of Louisville, they?ve got the one loss to Vanderbilt, but have also collected wins over Auburn and, most recently, Mississippi State in an epic comeback in the ninth inning on Thursday night.

They topped the Tigers narrowly, 5-3, with a solid well-played game, grabbing the early lead and adding on. The offense went cold against Vanderbilt but did enough against the Bulldogs? bullpen in the comeback victory. They were held scoreless through six, but never gave up, showing no quit

Pitching Comparison

Vanderbilt Head Coach Tim Corbin has plenty of options both to start this game and to use out of the pen.

The Commodores are four-deep in strong starting pitching. Kumar Rocker made the start against Mississippi State on Wednesday so he?s out, but Drake Fellows is available to come back after beating Louisville on Sunday.

In addition to Fellows, who brings a 4.15 ERA and a ton of innings to the hill, Mason Hickman and Patrick Raby are other options. Both Hickman and Raby are sub-3 ERAs and, like Fellows, offers more than a strikeout per inning, showing the dominance of their stuff.

Whoever doesn?t start can be used out of the pen. We?ve seen Raby used that way already. Along with them, Tyler Brown has 14 saves and a 2.59 ERA in 41.2 innings out of the pen. Jake Eder, Ethan Smith and Hugh Fisher are all excellent?and dependable?arms with strong numbers and plenty of swing-and-miss in their respective games.

To counter the collection of arms at Corbin?s disposal, the Cardinals have Reid Detmers teed up for the start against Vanderbilt. He faced them the first time around and went 5.2 innings, allowing just one run and leaving with the game tied at one.

Detmers struggled some with the walks, walking six, but did well avoiding damage and getting out of trouble with just the one run allowed on three hits. He also struck out five. He?ll try to be more pitch efficient and more in the zone on Friday.

The southpaw is 12-4 on the season with 2.79 ERA and 0.92 WHIP. He?s holding the opposition to a meager .177 batting average against and has been stingy with the walks before this week. In fact, he has just 33 walks all season in 113 innings of work. In that same time, he?s struck out 167 batters, showing just how dominant of a pitcher he can be. He could really be a difference maker between this game and the last time the Bulldogs took on Vandy.

Beyond Detmers is a solid collection of arms. Bryan Hoeing gave it up against Vanderbilt last time around with two runs in 0.2 innings, but he was an effective reliever this year. Michael Kirian, Shay Smiddy, Adam Elliott, and Michael McAvene, amongst others, have all put up impressive stats. Kirian, in particular has a 1.69 ERA and strong K:9 ratio.

Offensive Breakdown

For as good as the pitching is for the Commodores the offense may even be better. J.J. Bleday is one of the best college players in the game. The top draft pick has a .351 average with 26 home runs and 69 RBIs as a catalyst in the middle of the lineup.

He?s scored 77 run and drawn 54 walks, too, sporting a .464 OBP and mind boggling .717 slugging percentage, that?s a 1.181 OPS. And he?s not the only one OPSing over 1.000 on the team. Austin Martin is an excellent table setter with a .410 average and .503 OBP. He?s got some power, too, collecting 100 hits with 19 doubles, four triples and eight homers. Stephen Scott, meanwhile, has a dozen homers and 20 doubles along with a .339/. 460/.591 slash line.

Beyond those three, there are others like Philip Clarke who has 68 RBI and a .303 average. Top to bottom, this lineup can rake with plenty of quality at bats on the bench as well.

Overall, the team has a .318 average and .418 OBP, showing an excellent batting eye and great contact skills. Give the team?s solid power via 93 homers and quality speed headlined by Martin and Harrison Ray, this is a team that can score many ways.

Martin was the hero in the Louisville game while Bleday and Scott carried the load in the win over Mississippi State.

It?s hard to imagine any team offering a more balanced offense, but the Louisville can hit, too.

The Cardinals blew by East Carolina in the Super Regionals with 26 run in the two games. Looking strictly at the overall numbers, however, it?s clear Vanderbilt has the edge. The Cardinals have a .293 average and .388 OBP with a .435 slugging. The average and OBP are both solid though the slugging percentage is a bit low. The team doesn?t stack up in the power department.

Alex Binelas is the only Louisville batter with double-digit homers, but the speed on this team sets them apart from the Commodores. It?s that speed that helped lead to the two-run ninth on Thursday against Mississippi State, forcing a throwing error on a pick-off throw and setting up the tying run.
Lucas Dunn, Tyler Fitzgerald, Justin Lavey, and Jake Snider are all contributors with their legs and stolen base threats.

Save the power, the Bulldogs matchup rather well with Vanderbilt despite the results the first time around. This team?s offense isn?t elite, but it can score if given a chance, just ask East Carolina.

MLB Pick

Everything lines up in Vanderbilt?s favor for this one. The Commodores will be the more well-rested team after Louisville?s needed win Thursday night to advance.

In addition, the Commodores have also already beaten the Cardinals in Omaha earlier this week and are in the much less stressful position of having a loss to work with. It?s another must win for Louisville.

Look for all of that to benefit the Commodores as Vanderbilt grabs an early lead as the offense shows excellent patience and takes advantage of some early mistakes. With his days in the college ranks ticking, look for Bleday to have a nice game, propelling the offense.

Meanwhile, count on a solid pitching performance by Vandy who always seem to have plenty of pitching at their disposal. Between a stacked rotation?some of whom can be used in relief?and a great collection of relief arms, there?s more than enough to close this one out.

It may be the chalk pick but take Vanderbilt to grab another win over Louisville at BookMaker.eu.

MLB Odds:Vanderbilt 8, Louisville 4