MLB Betting – Backing Cincinnati is a Tough Baseball Bet to Make on Monday Night

Backing the Cincinnati Reds might be a tough thing to do in the MLB sportsbook on Monday night.

The Reds are a decided baseball bet favorite to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates but the man they send to the mound, Aaron Harang, just hasn’t been that great in 2010.

Harang has gone 2 and 5 with a 6.02 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP so far this season.

He just hasn’t been very good. Now that both Homer Bailey and Johnny Cueto are banged up, Bailey had tightness in his shoulder in his last start while Cueto had blistered fingers on his right-hand, there’s even more pressure on Harang to deliver.

Aaron Harang will be looking to deliver on Monday night when the Reds face the Pittsburgh Pirates, a team that they’ve dominated recently.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Cincinnati Reds

• Where: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, Ohio
• When: May 24th, 2010 at 7:10 pm EST
• TV: Pittsburgh – FSN
  Cincinnati – FS-O HD
• Radio: Pittsburgh WPGB-FM, 104.7
  Cincinnati WLW 700

Baseball Betting Run Line

Pittsburgh Pirates Brian Burres -L +1 ½ -135

Cincinnati Reds Aaron Harang -R -1 ½ +115

The baseball betting trends point to the Reds winning this game although there are some trends that favor the Pirates.

• The Cincinnati Reds are 5 and 1 in their last 6 games following a loss.
• The Cincinnati Reds are 5 and 1 in their last 6 games as a favorite.
• The Cincinnati Reds are 2 and 8 in Aaron Harang’s last 10 starts at home.
• The Pittsburgh Pirates are 4 and 0 in Brian Burres’ last 4 starts.

Burres has been a decent pitcher for the Pirates going 2 and 1 this season with a 4.91 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. Both the ERA and WHIP are high, but Burres has been better than the ERA or WHIP have alluded to as he’s given up 6 runs or less in all 8 games that he’s pitched.

More impressive than that is the fact that he’s given up 3 runs or less in 6 of those games in which he’s pitched. Burres should be able to keep the Reds under control in this game, but he’s not the only thing to think about in this matchup.

The last time the Reds faced the Pirates, they outscored them 16 to 1. They’ve beaten Pittsburgh in 8 out of 10 at home. Reds’ first baseman Joey Votto has hit .375 with 4 dingers and 22 RBIs in 35 games against Pittburgh.

But do those stats warrant a baseball bet on the Cincinnati Reds? Not really. Harang is too much of a liability, the risk is too great considering the baseball odds, and some trends give the Pirates hope in this game.

I’ll be backing the Pirates in this game, but I’m going to go ahead and take them on the run line. Most of the signs point to Cincinnati winning this game, but the MLB moneyline is Reds -175.

I just can’t put up that kind of money on Aaron Harang and the Reds in this matchup, but betting on the Pirates to win straight-up is tough to do as well.

My baseball wager will be on the Pittsburgh Pirates at +1 ½ in the sportsbook.

MLB Betting Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates +1 ½ -135.