\nWe\u2019re\nabout a third into the season, the standings are starting to shake\nout, and we\u2019re starting to get a pretty good idea of where teams\nare sitting within their respective divisions, as well as in their\nleagues in general. Even this early, we\u2019ve got some strong\ncontenders, and some definite non-contenders. Sometimes those teams\nplay each other, and underdog bettors\u2019 eyes light up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nWhich\nbrings us to this weekend\u2019s 3-game series that takes the 19-43\nBaltimore Orioles to Minute Maid Park to face the 43-21 Houston\nAstros. For anyone keeping track, that\u2019s the current best team in\nbaseball hosting the team that is tied with the Kansas City Royals at\nthe very bottom of the big league standings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nOn\npaper, this is just about as lopsided as a matchup gets. On the one\nside, you\u2019ve got the Astros, who are +400 to win it all in the\nWorld Series. And on the other hand, you\u2019ve got the Orioles, who\nare +200000 just to win the AL East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nAnyone\ncould be forgiven for going with the safe bet on this one. The Astros\nhave a near mind-boggling advantage. But of course, with every\nmassive advantage comes a major underdog, and sometimes, that\u2019s\nwhere all the fun is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nIs\nthere a chance that the Astros won\u2019t sweep the series? Hey, there\u2019s\nalways a chance. And a long shot bet, saddled up with a couple of\nsure-things, could be a great way to even out the odds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nLet\u2019s\nnot beat around the bush here. The Astros have the strong advantage\nin this series no matter how you look at it. On offence, the Astros\nare batting .271 with a .824 OPS, compared to Baltimore\u2019s .239. But\nthe Orioles nevertheless have a couple of strong bats in Pedro\nSeverino (.286) and Trey Mancini (.306). Hell, even Chris Davis has\nbeen starting to turn it around after a record-setting hitting\ndrought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nBut\nit\u2019s in the defence that the cracks start to show. While the Astros\npitching staff are boasting a team ERA of 3.57 with a .672 win PTC,\nthe Orioles are downright suffering, with an team ERA of 5.68 for a\nW-L of .306. And while the Orioles aren\u2019t scheduled to face the\nAstros\u2019 biggest arm, Justin Verlander (9-2, 2.40 ERA), the\nunfortunate reality is that pound-for-pound, just about every\nstarting pitcher for the \u2018Stros would be favored over just about\nany stater for the Orioles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nHowever,\nthere is hope for Baltimore. Andrew Cashner (6-2, 5.04 ERA), arguably\nthe team\u2019s strongest arm at the moment, is scheduled to get the\nstart in the Saturday afternoon game against Framber Valdez (2-2,\n3.12 ERA), who is making just his first start of the 2019 season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nThis\nseries may very well end up being a total bloodbath. But if the\nOrioles manage to squeak one out to salvage this series, odds are\nthat it will be on Saturday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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