Free MLB Betting Picks & Predictions for May 20th 2009: ATS Consultants

Below are free MLB baseball picks for May 20th from ATS Consultants. If you are looking for more free picks on a daily basis be sure to click here for a free week of expert mlb picks

UNDER 9.5 Detroit/Texas:
Talk about two red hot pitchers, wow, this game will feature two of the hottest in the game right now. Detroit sends Justin Verlander to the mound, while the Rangers counter with Matt Harrison. Verlander is is 3-2 so far in 2009, but that doesn’t tell half the story. His last 4 starts have been brilliant, going 3-0 with an ERA under 2.00. He would be 4-0 in that stretch had his bullpen not blown a 5-0 lead in the seventh inning last Thursday in Minnesota. Verlander had struggled in 2008, so it’s great to see him regaining the form that won him the Rookie of The Year award in 2006. Lefty Matt Harrison has been a real surprise for the first place Rangers thus far. He’s 4-2 with a 4.23 ERA in ‘09, but like Verlander, his last few starts have been terrific. He is 4-0 in his last 4 starts, giving up just 6 runs in 30 innings pitched. He’s thrown two complete games in that time as well, saving the Rangers bullpen, which is currently without closer Frank Francisco. The way these two guys are throwing right now, coupled with key injuries on both sides (Detroit is without slugger Magglio Ordonez, while the Rangers All Star CF Josh Hamilton is out), the under looks like the right play in this one.

St Louis -125 over Chicago:
St Louis Cardninals fans have been waiting for this day for the past month. Former Cy Young Award winner and ace Righty Chris Carpenter makes his return to the mound to face the Cubs. The Cards have been patient with Carpenter given his injury history and are certain he’s ready to go. This is a great matchup for him as he’s 9-5 with a 1.90 ERA and 0.95 WHIP in 20 career starts at Busch Stadium, and 7-3 with a 3.08 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 14 career starts against the Cubs, who aren’t hitting like their usual selves right now. Chicago counters with Righty Ryan Dempster, who hasn’t been himself lately at all. Dempster has a bit of an odd trend so far in ‘09 having one good start followed by a poor one. His last effort was pretty good at home against the Padres last Thursday. He went 7 innings and allowed 2 runs in the Cubbies 11-3 win. His start prior to the that, he was pounded for 5 runs and 7 hits in 5 1/3 as the Cubs lost to the Brewers 12-6. St. Louis is also expected to welcome Rick Ankiel back into the lineup tonight, which will only make Dempster’s job just that much harder. Should be an emotional night tonight in St Louis between Carp’s return and the fact that Cubs/Cards is one of the great rivalries in the game. We think the Cards ride that emotion to a key NL Central victory.

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