Baseball odds conversation for the first third of the sportsbook season was dominated by the dominance of the LA Dodgers.
What made it all the more impressive for many baseball betting odds fans was the high level of play without star slugger Manny Ramirez. But the team’s play has dropped off of late in the baseball odds competition and that could provide just the opportunity the Houston Astros need to steal a win in their Thursday, July 16th baseball betting odds competition.
Baseball odds fans have seen Manny’s return clouded in typical Manny behavior. First, he was given the opportunity to play in 10 minor league games to warm up after sitting out a 50-game doping suspension. He chose to play in only 5. Then just two games back from the MLB baseball betting odds suspension, he sat a game against San Diego due leg issues.
He is obviously still not in the best shape and Manny behaving in typical Manny fashion has not helped the Dodgers plight in the baseball odds competition. LA has since fallen behind the Boston Red Sox for the MLB best record but still holds a comfortable seven-game lead in the NL West baseball odds standings.
The Astros enter the baseball odds contest playing mediocre ball at best. In fact, this is a contest that the Dodgers should dominate and the baseball betting odds should be stacked in their team’s favor. Lance Berkman and Miguel Tejada have been decent seasons but the team’s pitching has been awful. The team has one of the worst bullpens in baseball odds. And it’s starting staff isn’t much better and the Dodger’s should be able to put up plenty of runs when the two go head to head in the baseball odds.
The difference in the baseball odds in this game will obviously be the Dodger’s pitching. The starting staff for LA has been outstanding so far this baseball odds season and it should be able to hold the Astros tepid sluggers from doing much damage. An extra advantage has to be given to the Dodgers for playing in Chavez Ravine where the team is an impressive 28-13 in baseball odds competition. And with Manny getting better every game, the Dodgers look the runaway favorite in the baseball odds.
For the Astros it means yet another loss on the road where the team is a modest 20-20.