The Cat's MLB Over/Under Bets & Detailed Writeups - April 14, 2012

CatsOverUnders · Apr 14, 2012

2012 Record: 19-22-1 (On the verge of turning this around and achieving my normal level)
2011 Record: 366-270-42 (Proof & 27-Page Documentation Available Upon Request)

Nice 4-2 day yesterday including winning my top three bets, although I should’vebeen 5-1 if the Price vs Beckett under 8.5 could have held after being 4-1going into the bottom of the 8th. Luckily that was a minimum-sized bet. Here’s to hoping this momentum carries into today and beyond, as here aremy bets on this lovely Saturday…

Los AngelesAngels of Anaheim @ New York Yankees
CJ Wilson vs Phil Hughes
UNDER 9.5

These are always interesting games on Saturday, as it’s the only the day FOX hosts afternoon baseball, or any baseball for that matter, during the week, other than playoffs. Therefore, that’s a variable and is something to consider for pitchers who are scheduled to start in one of these games. Luckily, we have asolid proven big-game pitcher like CJ Wilson on our side who is used to pitching in nationally televised games like this one. Wilson looked sharp inhis first start for the Halos, going seven strong in allowing only one run,three hits, four walks, and posting five strikeouts in the Twins home opener,so he looks comfortable already in Angel red. In addition, while he struggled mightily against the Yankees in 2010, he dominated them at Yankee Stadium inhis only start versus them in 2011, going eight innings and allowing only one run while striking out ten.

Speaking of pitchers building off their last start, we can only hope Phil Hughes is ableto do just that after a fine debut to the 2012 season. Hughes has always hadhigh potential, and after holding the Rays to two runs in five innings, perhaps this is the year he finally stays healthy and gets it all together.Unfortunately, I don’t have a stat on him pitching in nationally televised games, so I have no idea how his mindset is facing a tough lineup on FOX, butat least we know Wilson is very used to these situations, and as I pointed outbefore his first start, the former Ranger ace is actually mentally one of the strongest pitchers in baseball. I just love his make-up as a pitcher, and hopefully he keeps it going here, despite being perceived as the technical No.4 starter in the Angel rotation. I’m going under.

Other 4/14/12 MLB Over/Unders I’m Taking (In Order)
Yu Darvish vs Nick Blackburn OVER 8.5 (I’ll be back in a bit with a write-up onthis)
ChrisVolstad vs Lance Lynn UNDER 8

**WillAdd More Over/Unders Throughout Day Leading Up To Gametime**

moocow · Apr 14, 2012

May the rolling continue. GL

CatsOverUnders · Apr 14, 2012

And here's my write-up for Darvish vs Blackburn. I'll be back a bit later with my other bets on the slate.

Texas Rangers @ Minnesota Twins
Yu Darvish vs Nick Blackburn
OVER 8.5

Interesting game on tap here as we have the much-hyped Yu Darvish making his second start of his big-league career. Darvish was not good in his debut, getting tagged for five runs and eight hits in just under six innings of work. He also walked four. Unfortunately, being new to the Majors and having such little information on him, it’s tough getting a vibe on how he’s going to do or how his mindset is heading into this start, but after the Twins recent offensive outburst against the Angels recently, I believe they can at least scratch across a couple of runs.

The main reason, though, to consider this bet is the woeful Nick Blackburn. As I pointed out before his last start, he’s just not good, and it’s really a wonder how the Twins let this guy make 30+ starts a year. I just don’t understand it. His stuff isn’t good, and it showed in his 2011 statline, as he registered a very ugly WHIP of 1.60. Furthermore, his opposing batting average was .305! Uh,that’s not good. It’s also a wonder how the line for this game isn’t 9, considering the Rangers owned Blackburn last year in two starts when they pounded him for 18 hits and 12 runs in just over nine innings. Hopefully they can continue the onslaught against him and win us the over, perhaps single-handedly.

CatsOverUnders · Apr 14, 2012

Here's a couple of additional bets for today...

Pittsburgh Pirates @ San Francisco Giants
Charlie Morton vs Barry Zito
OVER 7

Ah, the 2012 debut of Charlie Morton. While he’s just a random obscure pitcher to just about every baseball fan, I’ve been tracking Morton for awhile, and I must say that his ascension last year was one of the better stories I’ve seen over recent years. After all, this guy was absolutely atrocious in 2010, finishing up that season with a 7.57 ERA and 1.73 WHIP, inevitably leading you to believe that this guy would never carve out any sort of Major League career as a starter. Well, thankfully in 2011 (I say thankfully because I had a huge bet on the Pirates over 67 wins last year), he proved he indeed could be a solid big league pitcher, amassing a fine 10-10 record with a very nice 3.83 ERA. The drawback of his statline, though, was his .283 opposing batting average and 1.53 WHIP. Those numbers would seem to indicate that Morton actually was not as good as his ERA, and coming off offseason hip surgery to make his first startof the year, I believe he’ll get hit at least a little bit.

Then we have Barry Zito, who showed flashes of his former perennial CyYoung-contending self when he fired a complete game four-hit shutout against a very formidable Rockies lineup in his first start. Considering he’s facing arguably the worst offense in the National League (Right now), you would think that puts Zito on track to have another dominant performance. Well, that’s very possible, but the Pirates’ group of hitters isn’t that bad, and Law of Averages would dictate that they at least scratch across at least a couple. It’s going to be very close, as in 5-2/5-3ish, but I’m on the over.

Also adding:

Jeanmar Gomez vs Jonathan Sanchez OVER 8.5 (I got it at that number last night. It's 9 now, would still recommend)

**May Add More MLB Over/Unders Throughout Day Leading Up To Gametime**

CATWINS · Apr 14, 2012

gl today little cat

CatsOverUnders · Apr 14, 2012

2-1 on those 1 o'clock games, although should've been 3-0 if I wasn't screwed in Darvish vs Blackburn... Twins had 2nd and 3rd with NO outs in the 9th and the Ranger defense playing back since they were up 4. Of course I can't get 1 run in that situation for the win. Oh well, Gomez vs Sanchez over looks good and hopefully we get more of the same in Morton vs Zito