MLB Betting Tips – Pitchers to Back in June

With teams beginning to jockey for position in the divisional races across baseball, there’s going to be a premium put on red hot pitchers. Check out BetOnline Sportsbook’s list of pitchers that you should be backing as the summer gets started for sports betting fanatics…

John Lackey, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (5-0 in June 2008): Lackey’s baseball bettors haven’t exactly gotten off to a stellar start so far in 2009. In his four starts since coming off of the DL, the Halos are 1-3, and the righty has a loaded 6.05 ERA. That’s a far cry from the man that went 12-5 last season and an even further one away from the one that went 19-9 in ’07. June was his month last season though, and has been for his entire career. Lackey went 5-0 with a miniscule 1.16 ERA last June, and has a 15-9 mark with a 3.18 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 33 career starts in the month. This is clearly the best pitching month in his career. The oddsmakers have been gun shy to put big numbers on the board when Lackey is on the mound, as he has been a short favorite one, a short underdog twice, and a hefty favorite once. Considering Anaheim hasn’t quite found traction yet in the AL West, the likelihood is there to get a whole bunch of solid numbers on the right-hander this month.

Mark Buehrle, Chicago White Sox (4-0 in June 2008): Why not? Buehrle has led the Sox to an 8-2 mark in his ten starts this season, and he’s the fourth best money pitcher so far this season in baseball (+$551). He averaged 7.5 innings per start last June, and posted an ERA just a shade above 1.50. June hasn’t historically been the greatest month for the southpaw in his career, but there aren’t too many pitchers out there that are going to argue about a 26-10 record or a 3.28 ERA for the month. Keep in mind that Buehrle has had a tendency of burning out later in the season. His career ERA balloons to over 4.00 once the calendar hits July, so it may be important to strike while the iron is still hot and the White Sox are still in it. If they fall too many games out of the Tigers, the team that tried its best to becoming a buyer in the Jake Peavy circus may ultimately end up being a big selling team. But for now, Buehrle hasn’t allowed more than four earned runs in any start this season, and the last time he didn’t last at least seven innings in a game was back on May 1st. Expect more good things from the lefty this month.

Andy Pettitte, New York Yankees (4-0 in June 2008): For some unknown reason, Pettitte gets slightly less respect than most of the New York starters do. He’s cashed in big time on that this season, as he’s led the Bronx Bombers to an 8-2 record and has earned $542, the fifth best mark in the bigs. Last season, Pettitte went 4-0 in June and had a very respectable 3.76 ERA. You pretty much know what you’re getting from the left-hander every time out there. You’ll get six to seven innings of work, probably around three to four runs allowed, and the Yanks will be in a position where they can mash their way to victory. The biggest key for Pettitte is the way that New Yankee Stadium is built. Historically, he is a great ground ball pitcher, meaning that he won’t feel the effects of the wind tunnel that is carrying all sorts of balls over the right field wall. That’s helped the Yankees to a 4-1 record in Pettitte’s home starts this season, and should continue into the month of June without a problem.