MLB Betting – Cardinals vs Reds Preview & Pick
The St. Louis Cardinals emerge from the All-Star break pretty much as healthy as they’ve been since the start of 2011.
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MLB Gambling Online – St. Louis Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Reds
Date: Friday, July 15, 2011
Venue: Great American Ballpark, Cincinnati, OH
Broadcast: FSMW, FSOH
St. Louis Cardinals at Cincinnati Reds Betting Lines from Bodog.eu
Money Line: Reds -157
Over/Under: 8.5
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St. Louis Cardinals (49-43)
Jake Westbrook (7-4, 5.34)
Adam Wainwright (Tommy John surgery) is still out for the season but Albert Pujols is back from his wrist injury and Lance Berkman’s aches and pains should be rested.
One man who really hopes the Cards’ bats are ready to go: Jake Westbrook. He’ll face the Reds for the second straight start after they demolished him last week. Westbrook lasted just 4.1 innings, serving up three homers and allowing seven runs.
Cincinnati Reds (45-47)
Johnny Cueto (5-3, 1.96)
The Cincinnati Reds in the National League Central remind of the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central this season in that they have too much talent to play as badly as they did in the first half. It’s put up or shut up time and Cincy has a golden opportunity at home against the team it’s chasing in the standings.
Johnny Cueto should be amped up to help the Reds start the second half on the right foot. He has owned the Cards this season, allowing one earned run over 15.2 innings. [dfads params=’groups=10&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
For the Reds to make a run in the second half, they need Jay Bruce to get back on track. He exploded to hit .342 with 12 homers in May but hit just .217 in two homers in June. July is looking more promising, as Bruce entered the All-Star break with three homers in his last five games.
MLB Trends
STL are 7-3 in their last 10 games on grass.
STL are 37-17 in their last 54 Fri. games.
Over is 5-2-1 in Westbrooks last 8 starts overall.
CIN are 3-8 in their last 11 games on grass.
Under is 7-3 in CIN last 10 home games.
CIN are 3-7 in their last 10 home games.
Over is 8-3 in Cuetos last 11 starts vs. STL.
MLB Free pick:
Perhaps more impressive than Cueto’s dominance over the Cardinals this season is his all-time track record against Albert Pujols. Cueto has held the superstar to four hits, no homers and one RBI over 23 encounters. If he even has Pujols in check, I think he can handle the Cards’ lineup again.
Westbrook, meanwhile, is cruising for a bruising. I respect his ability to eat innings but he simply isn’t all that good.
Travelling to a hitter’s ballpark on Friday against a team that rocked him the last time out simply doesn’t bode well for him.
Cardinals vs Reds prediction: Reds 6, Cardinals 4
