Friday Night Matchups 1
Being that there’s a recession and all, I’m trying to avoid blowing money on bar tabs and cabs every Friday night. Instead, I’ve decided to devote Friday night to making money…the old fashioned way. Let’s gamble!
Since I don’t ever finalize my bets until about 10 minutes before first pitch, here are some my leanings going into tonight’s slate.
Anderson (+185) @ Chamberlain: I love this line like stoners love Domino’s Pasta Bowls. First of all, betting on the Yankees is a win-win for me, since I either win money (usually at a 2:1 rate, considering the normally astronomical Yankee lines) or I get a Yankees win. It’s like hedging against my own ridiculously manic reactions to Yankee games. Secondly, this line is going to keep moving with the Holliday trade. The difference between Holliday and some scrub for one game is nearly negligible, so any extra action on the Yankees is pure gravy to the A’s side. Finally, while everyone knows about Joba’s pre-All Star slump and post-All Star vintage performance, is anyone aware of Brett Anderson’s last three starts? 21 IP, 18 Ks, 3 BBs, 7 Hits, 0 ER. These starts weren’t against some minor league team like the Mets, either. He completely shutout the Rays, Red Sox, and Angels. On top of all of that, Hughes is out for tonight, bettors will be blindly riding the win streak, and Joba will be counting down the hours until he’ll be across the river to hang with strippers and Jack Daniels. While the Yankees should still be favored, I love the A’s being better than 35% to win the game.
Vazquez (-125) @ Parra: People look at Vazquez’s 7-7 record and think they’re betting against an average pitcher. I look at a guy who’s 2nd in the NL in strikeouts and hasn’t given up more than two earned runs in a start in over a month. As much as it pains me to admit (as any Yankee fan alive in 2004 knows, Vazquez is a gaping vagina just ready to be raped by Jesus in a Red Sox uniform), Vazquez has been one of the most dominant starters in the National League this year. With the recent emergence of the Braves offense, Vazquez should be a -150 favorite tonight, not just -125.
