St. Louis Cardinals versus Chicago Cubs
In a battle between top teams in the National League Central, the Cardinals are at +22 and slightly rising in the Power Ranking Indicator, while the Cubs are +17 and declining. A similar trend is seen in the MLB Team Strength Oscillator, with the Cardinals at +3.18 and rapidly increasing, while the Cubs are -4.23 and swiftly declining. The Cardinals are tenth in Team Volatility, making them a good bet as the favorite and team to avoid as the underdog.
Pitching match ups:
Friday, September 15: Carlos Martinez versus John Lackey
Martinez comes in at 11-10 with a 3.33 ERA and 200 strikeouts in 189 innings. He’s been an excellent bet at +1228 on the Pitcher Profit Oscillator. Lackey has been victimized by the long ball, allowing 33 in 155 innings and is 11-11 with a 4.65 ERA. He’s been slightly profitable at +165, but this game clearly shows advantage to the Cardinals, who I pick for game one.
Saturday, September 16: Michael Wacha versus Kyle Hendricks
Wacha is 12-7 with a 3.99 ERA and has won his last three decisions.He’s been up and down in terms of profit, currently at +455. Hendricks has missed significant time, but has a solid 3.35 ERA in 121 innings. Also a good bet, Hendricks is at +372 in terms of profit but has been on the decline. In a close game, i see the Cubs edging the Cardinals to extend Hendricks winning streak to four.
Sunday, September 17: Lance Lynn versus Jose Quintana
Neither pitcher has been a good bet, with Lynn at -112 on the Pitcher Profit Oscillator compared to -819 for Quintana. Overall, Lynn is 11-7 with a 3.07 ERA and has allowed only 137 hits in 176 2/3 innings. Quintana has racked up the strikeouts, but is a game under .500 with a 4.25 ERA. I see a definite advantage on the mound for the Cardinals in this one, so I pick the Cardinals in the finale to win the series.
Texas Rangers versus Los Angeles Angels
This American League West match up features two teams battling for second place and a potential wild card spot. The Rangers are at +14 and declining according to the Power Ranking Indicator, while the Angels are at +10 and on a more rapid descent. The MLB Team Strength Oscillator shows a similar trend, with the Rangers are +2.2 and falling, while the Angels are at +7.54 and declining. Neither team is in the top ten in Team Volatility.
Pitching match ups:
Friday, September 15: AJ Griffin versus Andrew Heaney
Griffin comes in at 6-6 with a 5.50 ERA but has been a surprisingly profitable bet at +2457 on the Pitcher Profit Oscillator. Heaney has been terrible in 21 2/3 innings, posting an ERA of 7.06 and -19 on the Profit Oscillator. I take the Rangers in the series opener.
Saturday, September 16: Cole Hamels versus Parker Bridwell
This match up is very close in terms of ERA and profit. Hamels is 10-3 with a 4.05 ERA and a great bet at +1729. Bridwell has a nearly identical ERA of 3.99 and a 7-2 record. Also a very good bet, Bridwell is at +1439 and rising on the Pitcher Profit Oscillator. This game is a tough call, but I give an edge to the Angels at home and motivation to avoid a potential sweep.
Sunday, September 17: Miguel Gonzalez versus Garrett Richards
Gonzalez doesn’t have outstanding overall numbers at 7-11 with a 4.86 ERA. However, he’s been an excellent bet, coming in at +951 on the Profit Oscillator. There has been a small sample size for Richards, having appeared in only three games. He’s 0-1 with a 1.38 ERA and is at +196 and declining on the Profit Oscillator. Given the wide difference in profit and the Rangers being the slightly better overall team, I see the Rangers winning the finale and taking the series.
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