Evaluating mlb pitching

As a MLB baseball fan and sports bettor, you probably know that one key element in any baseball game is the pitching. A solid pitcher can completely shutdown an opposing side. What happens when you have two very good pitchers going at it? Usually the game is low scoring—no matter how good the hitters are. Just the opposite can happen when to sub-par pitchers take the mound. Knowing how to properly evaluate pitching is key to winning your baseball bets. However, evaluating can be a complicated task. Just what should we pay attention to? That’s the purpose of this article. We will discus what’s important to look at and use the past performance of real pitchers to illustrate these points. It’s time to play ball.

ERA

The most common mistake for those wagering on MLB baseball has to be simply looking at the pitcher’s ERA. The ERA is important, but you have to dig a little deeper to get the full story. Let’s take a look at Chicago White Sox pitcher Freddy Garcia. Let’s imagine that it’s late in the season and he’s on the mound with his 3.87 ERA. It would be easy to look at that and decide that he’s a good pitcher. However, looking at his stats deeper tells a tale of two pitchers—home and away. Let’s compare.

1.At home, Garcia has a 4-5 record. On the road he is 10-3.

2.At home, his ERA is 4.38. On the road his ERA is 3.40.

3.At home he gave up 17 home runs 38 walks. On the road he gave up 9 home runs and 22 walks.

4.He pitched 10 more innings on the road.

So what does this data tell you? For one, it tells you that Freddy Garcia is not a good pitcher at home. By looking deeper into the ERA and where the game is being played, you can get a better picture of just who’s taking the mound for a game.

Team Performance

Another area you want to look at is team performance, which looks at how well the pitcher has performed against the team. While you can look at history, it’s best to look at the current season and only pull in history if there are no current season performances. The reason is simple; teams change, at least a little, each year. Let’s keep looking at Freddy Garcia to see why team performance is so important. Take a look at a couple teams Garcia pitched against in 2005 and the outcome.

1.Garcia pitched four games against Detroit and had a 2.61 ERA.

2.Garcia pitched four games against Cleveland and had a 2.63 ERA.

3.Garcia pitched three games against Seattle and had an 8.35 ERA.

4.Garcia pitched two games against Oakland and had a 3.46 ERA.

By looking at team performance, we can see that Garcia’s outcome fluctuated and there are certain teams that he just does not do well against and others he dominates. We just looked at ERA here, but you can drill down further and look at overall pitching performance such as: hits, walks, home runs, innings pitched and so forth.

Inning Count

The last area of our discussion involves inning count. It’s vital that you know how deep, on average, the pitcher goes into games. If the pitcher is known for 5-6 inning outings, then you know the bullpen will be a major factor in the game. If this is the case and the team’s bullpen is suspect, you have to devalue the starting pitcher some. If you have a pitcher that normally works 7-8 innings and the team has a dominant closer and possibly a very good setup man, then you can focus more on the starting pitcher. Here’s an example list of pitchers and their 2005 averages.

1.Freddy Garcia 7 innings.

2.Randy Johnson 6 2/3 innings.

3.Pedro Martinez 7 innings.

4.Jose Contrares 6 13/ innings.

5.Livian Hernandez 7 innings.

In the case of Randy Johnson and Jose Contrares, we would have to discount their ability slightly if their team’s bullpen was not solid. Getting 7 innings of work out of a starting pitcher is good and about the average.

So the next time you go to bet baseball, look at who is pitching and do a little evaluating. It will pay off in the end.

The most important sports betting article ever written

One of the most common questions that I get is where in God's name (no pun intended) do Wise Guys and sharp players get so much information? Just as the only way to Carnegie Hall is Apractice, practice, practice", the only way to win in sports handicapping is Ainformation, information, information".

All you need to get that information is to merely live, sleep, and breathe sports handicapping. Well maybe forget the sleep part. Siestas are really is not much of an option in sports soothsaying. An endless supply of coffee is indispensable apparatus as well. Also make sure that your insurance company covers marriage counseling.

Are you still with me? If so, you are ready to be a Wise Guy.

Do handicappers and high rollers really have "inside information"? In reality it depends on how loose your definition of "inside information" is. Didn't Bill Clinton utter that same line or something to that effect?

Anyway, Wise Guys and the few legitimate handicappers out there do have the time, resources and knowledge of where and how to find useful information and data that 99 accurate breakdown of how a game ended.

For college, the Sportnetwork. com logs the sequence of scores that they sent, so one can get a decent idea of heartrending endings, especially when cross-referencing with the game recaps.

This also applies but with different criterion in baseballChow much the bullpen was used etc, but that is for a future article. Many sites give pitch-by-pitch breakdowns as provided by Stats Inc.

In the NBA especially and this occurs more often than one thinks, I just get giddy when I read that a few players thought their upcoming opponent ran the score up or was shown up by a gratuitous windmill slam dunk or something to that effect. This is especially true if the team that feels they were shown up was on the road in the referenced game and is playing home in the upcoming game.

Also certain beat writers especially in the NFL and college football can be outstanding giving accurate unit versus unit breakdowns. But Wise Guys have the experience to distinguish as to who the heck knows what they are talking about and who is blowing smoke

I regret that Sportingnews. com for several years was a must-visit for college football as they broke down literally every Division I game. However they have reduced that feature. Sadly I guess the budget limited the quantity down to the marquee games and quite frankly the quality seemed to go with it.

They also were one of the best sites scrutinizing the NCAA Basketball Tournament. I noticed that ESPN Insider picked up the slack during the 2003-04 bowl season. The gambler can only hope they have the updated write-ups for the Big Dance match-ups that Sportingnews. com had.

As mentioned in previous articles, one of the big keys to handicapping games is spotting deceptive final scores in handicapping or how and why teams really lost. That is why any true handicapper must own a satellite dish. I won't leave home without it. Well I guess that's why I don't leave home. It is also invaluable as far as scouting mismatches in personnel match-ups.

Sports gaming posting boards are good vehicles for gamblers to share information.

In a perfect world the best sites would be not be moderated but in places like the sports gambling newsgroup and other sites flaming takes precedence over content and forces valuable contributors to go to the refereed sites.

Much like distinguishing from amongst the good beat writers and the unqualified scribes, one must differentiate between the posting board participants who provide quality and accurate insight and those who cannot.

Utilizing the best databases is essential to triumphant prognostication. There are many out there, both free and pay sites.

Computer Sports World is best for baseball, Covers. com for both the NBA and college hoops. With 10-16 game schedules for college football and the NFL one must as we have stated have the ability to look beyond the mere data. Not ignore it mind you but an aberrational game here and there can dilute the statistical significance of football raw numbers.

Feist's site has some good databases but Covers and others made them obsolete. Chalk Gaming, which like StatFox, is now syndicated at OffshoreInsiders. com has quality information and for those who very much like to ride hot teams, they can rank teams in different categories over the last five or ten games.

There, you now know the trade secrets. All you need to do is invest 35 hours a day, 10 days a week, 60 weeks a year. America's greatest sports service the Dream Team at GodsTips, anchor of OffshoreInsiders. com has done it successfully for years and so can you.

The best of online betting through casino gaming 1

Technology keeps advancing at a rapid rate with no end in sight and online betting is no exception. It is especially apparent with communication devices, computers, and the amount of information we have access to from the Internet. It is almost overwhelming. Just about any type of entertainment is now at our fingertips. As an example, we used to have to go to the movie theaters, or go to the video store to rent movies, but now you can view them on your own personal computer. The Internet has opened many entertainment opportunities to us, which were not available just a short time ago. For anyone who likes to play a good game of poker or gets a thrill from playing the slot machines, the Internet offers you the opportunity to play any type of gambling or casino game you can think of. There is online poker, baccarat, blackjack, craps, roulette, and even slots, you name it, and it’s out there.

Online poker can be viewed as more user friendly than actually playing at a table in a casino. The major difference is that players don’t sit across from each other, so it is impossible to read what the person has in their hand. New skills have to be developed, such as paying attention to betting patterns or reaction times. Also, since there are no delays collecting cards, shuffling and dealing, the number of games being played increases. With online betting, it doesn’t matter if you are a novice or professional, you choose the level at which you want to play.

Online poker allows the players to play for very low stakes, as little as .01ў. Many times the poker room offers freerolls as a way to attract beginners. Some online betting sites provide online poker schools. These schools teach the basics of poker to the novice and can, without a doubt, speed up the learning process. Many online poker rooms offer free money play, so players can practice building their skills and confidence, without losing any of their own money. This is a great way to learn and improve your game. Another way to entice you is to provide winners entrance into live tournaments. These tournaments are called satellites; sometimes you can win some really big money. One site brings you the Ongame Network Poker Classic; this tournament is a $5 million online poker tournament. Most sites will reward their customers with deposit bonuses. The site usually places a percentage into the players account and it can be accessed by a bonus code given to the player.

There are many other casino games available at online betting sites. One very popular one is video poker – this is setup with the same format as standard video poker, you can bet from .01ў per hand to $5.00 per hand. You can also play either one hand or as many as 100 hands per session. Of course there are bonuses, money winnings and free hands. Another very popular game is the slots. The slots are easy to play and there are usually many different variations. Some sites have mini-slots, 3-reel slots, 5-reel slots, and more. You either win or lose, it all depends on where the reels land when they stop spinning. It is just the same as playing at an actual slot machine; you can only win the maximum payout when you insert the maximum amount of coins per play. Again, there are bonuses and prizes to be won, or free reloads.

Most games do not have to be downloaded from the Internet to play. You have the option with most games to either download them from the Internet or use the Instant Play feature. Most online betting sites offer signup bonuses to new players making their first deposit. Most of the time the bonuses match a percentage of the amount of the player’s deposit. Some betting sites offer you the opportunity to choose to be a part of live-based casinos. This is where you actually interface with a land-based casino and are playing in a real-time window. Players can interact with the dealers and can see and hear what is going on. One major concern players have is they are worried that the site can cheat them out of winnings. Sure that is a real possibility, but many online betting portals are certified by gaming commissions and audited by major firms that review the fairness of random number generators, shuffles and payouts. If a site is found to be involved in fraudulent behavior, they are shutdown or blacklisted.

Some people are a bit skeptical about joining a gambling site. We hear endless stories of people setting up false companies on the Internet and scamming unsuspecting people out of their hard earned money. What do you look for in an online betting site that is secure and guarantees that you will be paid your winnings? When you access a site, look for information or a statement about guarantees and who is operating the site. Many sites are licensed and regulated by specific governments. Some are even publicly traded. Look to see if they offer toll free phone numbers and also offer an address that questions and concerns can be submitted to. Other information to look for is how detailed their banking information is and what types of lending institutions back them.

Life is full of risks and all casino games are considered games of risk. Do your homework before you join an online betting site and make sure they are secure. Knowing this information should allow you the luxury of playing and have a great time winning money and prizes. We all need to have some fun.

How to play animals

:
While sitting around with friends this weekend I discovered the greatest card game ever. The name of the game is Animals, and the game is very easy to learn, easy to play and a great source of entertainment.

The game is not a gambling game but gambling can be done easily enough, but I would not expect to see this game in your local casino anytime soon.

I suspect the game started out as a memory game for children, then was taken you young adults and turned into a drinking game, but it does not matter if you are gambling with this game, drinking with this game or just trying to have a fun evening with friends, because it is fun whatever you are playing for.

The best way to play the game is with at least 4 people but no more then 8. You will also need 2 or 3 decks of cards to play Animals and a table for everyone to sit around.

Before the game starts each player must choose an animal noise and a hand gesture to represent them in the game and going around the table each player must announce the name of their animal, the sound the animal makes and its hand gesture. An example of this would be to say I am a cat, meow and the hand gesture may be wiping your face with the back of your hand.

In this game the dealer remains standing the entire round. The dealer will go around the table continuously dealing 1 card to each player until all the cards have been dealt. The dealer must stay at a steady pace and go not too fast and not too slow.

the players must continuously scan the other players top cards and when someone has the same number card on top of their pile as you, you have to make that persons sound and hand gesture. If you do it before they do you get all their cards.

That person is not out of the game the next time the dealer goes around they still get another card. The person with the most cards at the end of the game winds, and is the dealer for the next round.

For kids this is a great game because they have to remember everyone's noise and gesture, this is a fun way for them to help develop their memories, and a great way to get them away from the television for a little while.

For those looking to gamble this game may not earn you as much as playing Blackjack but it is a lot if fun to sit around and make fools of yourselves and make a few bucks. All you have to do is set an amount and everyone puts their money into a pot and the winner gets the pot. It does not get any easier then that.

The drinking game has an extra rule or two. If you make someone's noise and gesture before they do yours, besides getting their cards they need to drink and at the end of each round all the losers need to drink.

How to start your own small business

Opening your own business can be a real big gamble. If you do not do your research well, you will wind up like most small businesses, and that is out of business in less then 6 months.

The most important thing to remember when opening up new business is the location. When doing your research for your new business you want to make sure you are the only business of your time in the area. If you are opening a video store you do not want to open near another video store. Remember if you are exclusive to the area, you will automatically get the business of those living in that area.

The next most important thing about opening a small business is you supplier. Do not have just one place to get supplies from, you should have several. By having more then one you can assure yourself that you are getting the lowest prices from them. And if they know about each other they will try to outdo each other to get your business.

Make sure that the products or services that you will be offering are desired, do not just decide to open up a store with out doing any market research is like playing craps, dangerous unless you really know what you are doing.

Advertising is important. Remember just like a casino you are trying to make money and not lose it. By spending some money on advertising you will increase your sales from your opening day. It is best to have a professional help you with your advertising rather then dong it yourself, there is no point in spending money on advertising if no one in your target demographic is going to see it. An example of this would be like using facial expressions to bluff in a poker game against blind players.

When picking your stock it is sometime better to have a better selection of items and maybe not so many of each item, this way you can see which items sell best and order more of those more popular items, and less of the less desired ones.

In business you should not try to open a business unless you already have experience running a related business. You may think you know how to, but to do it correctly you really need experience, after all if you were in a casino and looking to play poker you would not want a roulette dealer who is trying to figure out the rules as he goes would you? Chances are you would want an experienced poker dealer.

Depending on the type of business you are opening try keep your staff as small as possible, and if it is possible try to get friends and family to help you out. This will allow you to keep your costs low until you can really get a good idea of if you are making money or not. Once you are making money you can go out and hire people.