MLB Betting Trends - Giants have pitching to win it all

Among this year’s MLB betting trends, not many expected the San Francisco Giants to be a power player. The Giants have been fourth-biggest moneymaker this year for online sports betting handicappers, who should stick with the Bay Area boys - they could be one of the teams representing the NL in the World Series this year.

MLB betting trends: Giants have the pitching, but do they have the hitting?

• Giants with just five home runs since All-Star Break
  
• Giants second-last in home runs (68) and third-last in slugging percentage
  
• Lincecum, Cain are best one-two punch in MLB

MLB betting trends typically show that teams with good pitching can play late into October. If that’s the case, then the Giants could have a very good playoff run – if they get there. With Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain leading the way, the sportsbook odds makers will have a tough time making the Giants a big underdog in any postseason series. Both pitchers are All-Stars and both are among the best in the league.

Lincecum - arguably the best pitcher in the National League - is the current co-winner of the NL Player of the Week. Lincecum went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA while striking out 23 batters in 17 innings. Meanwhile, Cain has been no slouch either. He finished July with a 3-0 record and a 0.94 ERA in 38.1 innings pitched. The MLB betting trends favor any team with two aces like this, which means no NL team wants to have the daunting task of potentially facing these two starters four times in a seven-game series.

But before the Giants get to the playoffs, they have to qualify in one of the four spots. At this point, it looks like catching the Los Angeles Dodgers - who have a seven-game lead - is a little too much to ask, but nailing a Wild Card spot is more likely. The Giants don’t have the power hitting, as evidenced by their low home run totals above, but they do enough at the plate to win. More importantly, they made a couple of shrewd moves at the deadline that should improve their lineup. Adding second basemen Freddy Sanchez and first baseman Ryan Garko will add a little bit of power and hitting, which is all the Giants really need. MLB betting trends show that small-ball teams can do some damage if they have the pitching to match. Clearly, the Giants have this covered.

The Giants are 31-22 since they were just two games over .500 on June 7th and they climbing towards a playoff spot. Sports betting handicappers know that they have to outlast the Colorado Rockies for that spot, but if they get into the playoffs, look out because the Giants are a real World Series threat.

For more on MLB betting lines, check out the betonline.com Betting Edge daily.

Before his arm flamed out, Dale “Skip” Lalonde was famous for his high-90s heat and power at the plate. He retired young but never turned his back on baseball, earning the nickname “Skip” for his high-school coaching prowess. A true student of the game, he loves crunching the numbers when he handicaps baseball.