MLB Picks

MLB Betting Game Trends

Game Overview

Three games are down in the 2012 NLCS, and there very well could be four more left to be played. MLB betting fans will love to sink their teeth into Game 4 of this series between the San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals tonight.

The Giants have got to get their bats going again if they are going to ultimately end up getting back in this series and not facing elimination tomorrow. The man that is going to be tasked with the job as the starter in this one is Tim Lincecum. It has been an up and down season for “The Freak,” as he has been all over the place. Once upon a time in July, Lincecum had an ERA of near 6.50, and he had to think that the campaign was just lost. However, he turned it around, started to pick up some wins, and finished the year with some numbers that at least look like those of a major leaguer. Here in the playoffs, the righty has been used exclusively out of the bullpen until tonight. Lincecum has pitched well as a long reliever, throwing 8.1 innings and allowing three hits, a walk, and just a single run. If there were ever a chance for Lincecum to redeem himself, this would be the game for him to do it, as his next start, if there were to be one, would likely be Game 1 of the World Series.

The Cards are going to try to make sure that doesn’t happen, though. They were the victors last night thanks to an incredibly unlikely source. Matt Carpenter came into the game to replace the injured Carlos Beltran, and he immediately hit the two-run homer that proved to be the difference maker. It is unknown whether Beltran will be back for this one or not, but if he isn’t, you know that Carpenter is going to get the call after that heroic showing last night. The bullpen is going to be weary, and we have to worry about Jason Motte closing tonight after he threw two innings to get the save yesterday. That’s a lot of pressure on the shoulders of Adam Wainwright. Wainwright pitched like garbage in Game 5 of the NLDS, one of the biggest starts of his career. He allowed six runs in just 2.1 innings of work in what should have absolutely been the last game of the season for the Redbirds. However, Wainwright was picked up by his teammates, and now he has a chance to pitch them to a 3-1 series lead.

Prediction

This is the most lopsided spread of the series, and that’s really saying something. This is going to be a close one throughout, and as has pretty much been our plan over the course of the whole series, we’re going to be backing the underdogs, knowing that this is likely a 50/50 proposition. San Francisco 5 – St. Louis 3