Unsung Starters for MLB Bettors
by Bovada Sportsbook Staff | June 22, 2012
Anyone who bets baseball has their go-to starting pitchers, their very own cut fastball to ensure victory is all but guaranteed.
Bovada sportsbook statistics reveal popular starters like Justin Verlander (7-4, 2.57 ERA), CC Sabathia (9-3, 2.55 ERA) and even Stephen Strasburg (9-1, 2.46 ERA) are the go to pitchers when bettors feel it’s time to cash in. Not hard to understand considering Sabathia and Verlander are two former Cy Young winners on teams stacked with impressive hitters and Strasburg is a young phenom who has displayed an MVP arm since entering the majors.
Get all your MLB props at Bovada’s online sportsbook. Don’t have a Bovada account? Join NOW.
However, even those popular and profitable arms can let bettors down. Verlander was recently the pitcher who garnered the most consistent action from wagers, only to lose three straight.
That’s why to bettors need a rotation, not just an ace or two. And in what appears to be the making of a historic season for pitchers there are other, unsung options to place your stake in.
R.A. Dickey, New York Mets: It’s a rare feat when a 37-year-old knuckleballer goes 11-1 before the all-star break with a 2.00 ERA and 100-plus strikeouts — top three in the league.
Bettors expecting Dickey’s production to nosedive should realize that Dickey has been consistent since joining the Mets. Dickey came off a horrible career in Texas and turned things around in New York, posting a 2.84 ERA in 2010 and 3.28 average in 2011.
Only the wins were missing in his Mets tenure, and it appears New York is giving him the support he needs.
Source: sports.espn.go.com via Mike on Pinterest
Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers: It’s been tough for bettors to trust supposed superstars from Japan. Boston’s Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-2, 6.06 ERA) hasn’t exactly been the game-changing ace his monstrous contract made him out to be. But in his first MLB season Yu Darvish is proving that Japan still has Major League talent outside of Ichiro Suzuki. After a rocky start Darvish has settled into the big leagues, posting 9-4 record with a 3.45 ERA on the impressive Texas Rangers. The Rangers are already a must-bet with the best record in baseball, and until a complete collapse Darvish should be part of a bettors’ rotation.
Lance Lynn, St. Louis Cardinals: When Chris Carpenter went down Cardinals fans all-but sealed their fate as a National League bottom feeder. Enter Lance Lynn, who was supposed to be a temporary solution until Carpenter returns from a shoulder injury. With a 10-3 record and 2.80 ERA the Cardinals will likely keep Lynn in the rotation when Carpenter returns, cash in on this young arm before it burns out.
Chris Sale, Chicago White Sox: Aging hitters, injury riddled pitchers, the White Sox are supposed to be the laughing stock of the league not a half-game back in the NL Central. One of the keys to the surprising White Sox has been the performance of Chris Sale.
Sale is another young gunner posting dominant numbers. He’s posted an 8-2 record with 2.46 ERA, including a five game winning streak (earning him AL pitcher of the month honors) before getting blown up by the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 15 — a rare five run, four walk performance for him. His 43/7 K/BB ratio during his recent streak prove that Sale is more than capable of keeping himself in the Cy Young conversation for the remainder of the season.
Grand Slam Parlay Contest: $5,000 in cash prizes to be won when you bet MLB parlays at Bovada!
