MLB gambling odds favors Chicago on Friday as they host the Houston Astros in a day game. It is the first of a three-game series and the Cubs should be solid baseball gambling favorites in each game. MLB gambling trends also favor the Cubs. They have won 13 of the last 20 games against Houston. The Cubs took six of the nine games at home last season against the Astros. Houston comes into this game really struggling and it may not get any better in Chicago. 12 of the last 20 games between Houston and Chicago have gone under the total.
The Cubs could be going with Carlos Silva in this MLB gambling contest on Friday and that might be the best news for the Astros. Silva is the fifth starter for the Cubs and the weak link in the rotation. He came out of his last start on April 9th after throwing 71 pitches. He did pitch okay in that game as he gave up one run on three hits.
The Cubs still don’t look like an elite team in MLB gambling and part of their problem is the play of Alfonso Soriano. He was supposed to be a superstar player but it simply hasn’t happened. Manager Lou Piniella is now pulling Soriano late in games because of his poor defense. “You would think that he’ll get better,” Piniella said, “He’s working.” The Cubs will probably use rookie Tyler Colvin in left field late in games. “The secret and the key to this thing is for Alfonso to make the plays, the routine plays,” Piniella said. “You don’t have to make the spectacular plays but make the routine plays. That’s expected out of any Major League player.”
The Astros have really struggled this season in baseball gambling. New manager Brad Mills is the 19th manager in the history of the Houston Astros. Part of the problem for Houston in baseball gambling is that they don’t have Lance Berkman in the lineup. He has been on the disabled list and it is unclear when he will return. “There is no timetable set forth at all,” Mills said. “When he does finally come back, we want him to be 100 percent to where he’s able to play and he’s ready to play every day — instead of maybe play for a week and then he’s so sore he’s got to sit out four or five days or another week, or go on the DL another 15. We don’t want that to happen. When he comes back, we want him to be ready.”