MLB Picks and proper valuation

When you make MLB baseball picks vs. the spread, you need to understand the value of proper valuation. Too many people attempt to make MLB picks, but they don’t accurately value different teams and various assets. So what should you value? Most people say that handicapping is 90% pitching, but that isn’t the whole truth. As you will come to learn, there are many other factors that must go into your MLB picks if you want to have success. Those people who forget about defense are the ones who will miss out on the most. The proper valuation of defense is the new frontier in baseball handicapping.

Know that the new defensive metrics can help you with your MLB picks. As you think about a pitcher’s chance at success, you have to understand that much of what happens on the field will be the result of good or poor defense. A pitcher’s ERA is simply a reflection of his environment, and it does not always tell you who has been pitching the best. If you are serious about making winning MLB picks, then you will need to properly valuate defense. Know that stats like John Dewan’s plus/minus and Mitchell Litchman’s Ultimate Zone Rating are good tools to get you started.

Additionally, don’t forget to evaluate bullpens for each team you bet on. Though the starter might have his name in parentheses beside the betting option, the bullpen will likely play a huge role in the outcome. If betting totals, you may have as many as eight innings pitched by people that you have likely never heard of. Do some bullpen research, especially if you are betting on a started that is known for short outings. This will help save you a huge headache when you make those MLB picks at the end of the day.

Posted By Wunderdog’s Trusty Sidekick ” Wundercat “

Tags: Baseball Sports Handicapper, Baseball Sports Handicapping Picks, Best Baseball Picks, Best Online Baseball Picks, Free Baseball Picks, Free Online Baseball Picks, Handicapping Baseball Picks, MLB Baseball Picks vs. the Spread, MLB Baseball Predictions, MLB Picks vs. the Spread, MLB Predictions against the Spread

Hey, MLB betting picks on baseball is not something that can be summed up in just a few paragraphs. It is a topic that you could write a book on if you had thumbs. There are a few basic rules to live by that I follow and that you should, too. What are those rules? They start with the lineups. Too many people make plays on teams without first consulting the lineups. Wouldn’t it be disappointing to lay out money on the Cardinals, only to turn on the game and see that Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday are sitting? Check your lineups so that you know who you’re betting on.

The second rule is to take everything into account. Don’t think that baseball is so simple that you can just handicap using the starting pitchers. You need to evaluate defense, the weather, the umpire, and how a particular team hits right handed or left handed pitching. Also take into account the psychological effects and fatigue. Did a team just play a night game before flying across country for a day game? These things matter, so include them in your handicapping if you want to be successful.

Lastly, you will want to make sure that you use statistics correctly. Baseball is a game that is somewhat easier to handicap, since the majority of plays can be quantified individually. There is so much information out there that if you will learn about it and learn how to use it, you can be successful. Predicting what will happen in a baseball game is still not simple, but it becomes a lot simpler when you use the data from the last ten years to tell what has happened. Give the statistics a shot, and put in the time to learn how to apply them

Posted by Wunderdog’s Trusty Sidekick ” Wundercat “

Tags: 2010 MLB Betting Predictions, 2010 MLB Picks, 2010 MLB Sports Picks, Free 2010 MLB Betting Picks, Free MLB Betting Picks, MLB Betting Picks, MLB Picks against the Spread, MLB Picks vs. the Spread, MLB Predictions, MLB Predictions against the Spread, MLB Predictions vs. the Spread, MLB Sports Picks

MLB Baseball Picks, Predictions vs. the Spread

Don’t sleep on Oakland

With baseball season upon us, it’s time to start looking for some teams that might provide good values through the early part of the season. If you would have been smart and quick with your MLB Baseball picks, you could have gotten Oakland’s season wins total at somewhere between 74-78, which is a huge value given the construction of that team. Now, it’s time to start hitting those overinflated lines. Few people understand how good this young Oakland team has a chance to be, and the early lines reflect that. They have been large underdogs more times than not so far in 2010, and their hot early start has netted some cash for smart bettors.

Oakland’s success lies in a number of different things. For one, the Athletics play excellent defense, with plus defenders all around the diamond. The team also has a number of undervalued pitchers, starting with Brett Anderson. A 22-year old with the “stuff” to be one of the top 10 arms in the Major Leagues, Anderson is constantly being undervalued in Oakland’s moneylines. If you get a chance to exploit that before people recognize just how good he is, then don’t hesitate.

There are a number of other teams that are looking undervalued to start the year, but Oakland is the most pronounced of those. It won’t be long before the linesmakers and the public recognizes that Oakland is quite possibly the class of the AL West, but that has not happened yet. Wundercat can tell you that over the next month or so, the defense, bullpen, and starting pitching of Oakland will carry that club to some surprising victories. Since the club figures to be lined underdogs for many of those games, it could be a profitable run if you will get on board the Athletics train.

Posted By Wunderdog’s Trusty Sidekick ” Wundercat “

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