Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Angels Betting Odds & Pick: June 18th 2010

Handicappers PicksJun 18, 2010

Our Friday afternoon MLB predictions take us to Wrigley Field where the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will look to eat into their 2.5-game deficit in the AL West against the Chicago Cubs who just earned their fifth home series of the season Friday afternoon against the Oakland A’s.
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Manager Mike Scioscia’s Angels were humbled in a big way in their latest home series versus Milwaukee. After churning out an 11-3 mark on their most recent 14-game road trip against the Royals, Mariners, A’s, and Dodgers, the Halos returned home only to drop two of three to the Brew Crew. Due to its most recent success as a visitor, Los Angeles currently stands 20-17 (+$637) on the road in the 2010 baseball betting season.

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Many have called for a changing of the guard in the Cubs dugout, but its recently been reported that manager Lou Piniella will finish out the current season. His squad reacted positively to that news yesterday afternoon by scoring a 3-2 win in the bottom of the 9th after Kosuke Fukudome’s single allowed the Cubs to pull it out in walk-off fashion. The victory improved Chicago to 17-16 overall in the “Friendly Confines” where it’s cost MLB bettors $670 on the year.

Los Angeles Angels (37-32, +$450) vs. Chicago Cubs (30-36, -$1541)
Game Date/Time: Friday, June 18th, 2:20 ET
Game Location: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
TV/Radio Broadcast: FOX – West, Comcast (Chicago), XM

MLB Betting Odds: Los Angeles Angels +1.5 -155 +120 (Scott Kazmir – L) vs. Chicago Cubs -1.5 +135 -140 (Carlos Silva – R): Total 11 O -115 11 U -105

Scott Kazmir enters his 13th start of the season in decent form having gone 3-0 with a 2.12 ERA & 1.35 WHIP allowing 13 hits and just 14 ER’s through 17 total innings pitched. He pitched the minimum in order to receive a win his last time out against the in-state rival Dodgers, but short outings have continued to plague the lefty all season long. He’s managed to pitch through the 6th inning only once in his L/4 outings, but his beleaguered bullpen has managed to hold the lead in his three June starts. Opponents are batting .263 against him this season and the Halos stand 4-4 in his eight overall road starts. He has one career start against Chicago under his belt coming back in June of 2008 when he allowed three hits and one run while K’ing seven and walking four through 4.2 IP when tossing for Tampa Bay.

Carlos Silva has revitalized his career in the Windy City after suffering through a pair of nightmarish seasons in Seattle. The Cubs are 10-2 in his 12 overall starts, and at 8-1 overall with a 2.89 ERA, the Venezuelan currently ranks 3rd on the starter $$$ rankings with an overall return of $847. He suffered his first loss of the season his last time out against the Chicago White sox, but that’s not to say he didn’t perform admirably. The righty allowed seven hits and a pair of ER’s through seven IP, and ended up putting forth his ninth quality start of the season. In a pair of starts against the Angels last season, Silva gave up a combined 10 hits and five ER’s with a K/BB ratio of 5/2 through 12 innings of work. Chicago’s 6-1 in his seven Wrigley starts in 2010.

MLB Insider Tip: Chicago’s enjoyed digging in against left-handed pitching all season long evidenced by the fact that it’s .279 seasonal batting average is 74-points higher than against righties; they’re a $$$-making 8-1 the L/9 times they’ve opposed a southpaw.

Silva hardly deserved to lose his last outing vs. the Palehose, and his teammates will most definitely look to make sure he gets back in the win column this afternoon. I’m not sold that the Halos are back, and my MLB predictions foresee them cooling off dramatically after ripping off that impressive road trip last week.

My MLB Pick: Chicago Cubs (Silva)
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