MLB Betting: Handicapping Pitcher Vs. Team Records

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There are a ton of factors that go into making your decision in terms of sports betting and specifically, betting on Major League Baseball. You will have many opportunities to fine-tune your baseball betting skills throughout the season because of the sheer amount of games. One thing you will notice as you are going through best sports betting sites is that each baseball game will have the starting pitchers listed. Pitchers matter a lot when the books are setting the lines. And they should mean a lot to you as you are making your picks.

Examine Pitcher Splits

Baseball, as much or more than any other sport, deals with statistics and analytics. The “moneyball” era, where teams evaluated contracts based on statistics, all spawned from baseball. That means you should prepare yourself to pour over a slew of different stats as you are making your decision.

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You can look at a pitcher's record and examine how they are doing, but there are more in-depth ways of doing so now. A pitcher with a record of 12-10 might not be just 12-10. How many of those wins came easy or tough? What was their run support like? Do they fare better in the day or at night? Inside or out?

It might take you some time, but you would be doing a disservice to yourself if you did not look at all the splits when it comes to a pitcher's stats.

Track TRGS

In terms of betting on a team, there is one that bettors should be all over and that is the TRGS or Team Record in Games Started. The premise is exactly what it says: what is the team's record in games that pitcher has started?

Some pitchers get bitten by a poor bullpen or the opposite can happen. Maybe that pitcher left his bullpen in a terrible position before they got the hook for the game. It simply might be a matter of luck, but that all counts when you are making your MLB picks, so track down the TRGS split and see what a team's record is when a particular pitcher is starting the game.

For example, you might have a pitcher that has a record of 9-5 for himself, but his team is actually 10-13 when he starts. If so, you should be a little hesitant towards them. On the other hand, a pitcher could have a record of 8-13, but that team is actually 18-17 when he starts. Figure out why that is (a good bullpen, the offense comes alive later, etc.).

Starting Pitcher Is Key

There might not be a more influential factor in a baseball betting line than the starting pitcher, so go over all the numbers at your disposal when you are making your picks. The TRGS is a fantastic option for baseball betting players and it will help you have a more clear understanding of the game and how it works, which can only improve your MLB betting percentage in the long run.