Every sport generates stats, facts and betting trends, but baseball and in particular MLB games are at the top of the list when it comes to the sheer amount of data that is collected for the results. When you have a regular season schedule spanning 162 games, the data overload can be quite overwhelming.
When it comes to utilizing MLB betting trends for your overall handicapping efforts, certain ones should carry more weight than others. A starting pitcher’s record on Mondays makes for interesting reading, but a team’s recent road record against a left-handed starter could have a direct impact on the outcome of its next game.
Since the betting lines for MLB games are heavily dependent on each team’s starting pitcher, betting trends for this category should be at the top of the list when it comes to handicapping the matchup on the mound. For example, if you are trying to break down a matchup between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees, it might be of some interest to know that Boston is 10-4 in its last 14 road games when its designated starter for this game is on the mound. It is also interesting to know that the Red Sox are 5-1 against their bitter rivals when this pitcher gets the start.
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Since there are so many betting trends involving the starting pitcher for each team, you should try and form a consensus to see if a significant edge is there. Some betting trends may cancel one another out. Using the same example above, the Yankees’ starter in this game is 6-2 in his last eight home starts against the AL East, but just 2-6 in his last eight starts against Boston.
There is also quite a bit of useful information contained in the MLB betting trends when it comes to betting the OVER/UNDER in a particular game. These types of trends can be general in nature such as the total staying UNDER in five of Boston’s last seven division games. They can also be specific to the starting pitcher such as the total going OVER in 10 of his last 14 starts against the AL East. The more specific the trend the better when it comes to gauging what kind
of impact it may have on the outcome of a game.
One set of baseball betting stats that carries quite a bit of weight when breaking down a matchup are the ones for the designated home plate umpire. Bettors can find out which officiating crew is working all the games in a three or four-game series, but you will not know which umpire will be behind home plate in Game 1. From that point on there is a set rotation for the rest of the games in that series, so you will know who will be calling balls and strikes.
An MLB strike zone is rather specific in definition, but each home plate umpire’s individual interpretation can be slightly skewed one way or the other. Umpires with a tight strike zone gives the slight edge to the batters, which can often lead to higher scoring games. A home plate umpire with a more liberal strike zone tends to have more of their called games stay UNDER the closing total line. Individual records for the OVER/UNDER results by umpire can quickly help
you determine which ones fall into which category.
MLB betting trends are just part of the sports handicapping process when it comes to betting on the games. Current form for the starters and the lineups for each team a very important as are any field conditions that could have an impact on play. Concentrating on the trends that can have the biggest impact on the outcome simply adds value to their handicapping worth.
