Taking the Under – MLB Teams Keeping it Low

MLB’s Best ‘Under’ Teams

A number of teams have gotten off to terrible offensive starts to the 2009 MLB betting season, and the following clubs have made mad bank for BetOnline Sportsbook ‘under’ bettors throughout the last week of play.

(Rank) (Team) (O/U record) (O/U Record L/5)

1) Arizona Diamondbacks (10-16-2) (0-5 in L/5) The Diamondbacks closed the 2008 season out ranked 27th overall with a collective .251 team batting average, but their pitching kept them in the thick of the playoff race throughout the entirety of the year. Now, with Brandon Webb on the DL, the pitching staff ranks just 13th in the league with a 4.18 team ERA, and the offense has continued its struggles. Through their first 28 games, the Snakes boast a very poor .223 batting average good for last (#30) in the entire league, and they’ve only managed to score an average of 3.64 runs per game (#29). Each of their L/7 games failed to surpass the closing BetOnline ‘total’ for baseball bettors, but Zona should be able to flex its offensive muscles this weekend when the Washington Nationals horrific pitching staff pays a trip to the desert.

2) St. Louis Cardinals (-16) (1-4 in L/5) After ripping the cover off the ball throughout the first three weeks of the 2009 MLB betting season, the Cardinals bats have quieted down and the pitching staff has stepped up. Pujols and company cashed ‘under’ bettors tickets in four of their L/5 games as they averaged just 3.8 runs per game during that stretch. That’s over a 1.5+ run difference from their seasonal average of 5.43 runs per game that currently ranks them 8th in the league in that category. Besides getting roughed up by the Phillies potent offense, the Redbirds pitching staff limited opponents to an average of just 3.3 RPG in the other three games. Currently, the Cards pitching staff comes in ranked 4th overall with a 3.83 ERA, but Manager Tony LaRussa can’t be thrilled about his club butchering it in the field having already committed 23 errors (#29). The Cards are the toast of the NL Central, for now, but they’ll have to start playing better overall ball if they expect to hold onto that position through May.

3) San Francisco Giants (10-11-4) (1-4 in L/5) If you got guys named Lincecum, Zito, and Johnson in your starting rotation, you better have a stellar pitching staff. That said; that’s the only thing the Giants currently have going for them at the moment since their offensive attack reeks like hot garbage. We’ll get back to their offensive struggles in a sec, but I want to concentrate on SF’s pitching. It currently ranks in the top 10 in ERA, WHIP, K’s, and quality starts. After getting off to a slow start, reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum is 3-0 with a 2.45 ERA and 0.95 WHIP allowing just 15 hits and six earned runs with an insane K/BB ratio of 27/6 through 22 total innings of work. As good as he and the top of the rotation have been, the offense continues to stink out loud. They’re ranked dead last (#30) in the entire league scoring an average of just 3.50 runs per game, and 29th in both OPS (.669) and HR’s (14). The bullpen is also a strength currently ranked 10th overall with a 3.99 unit ERA. Look for them to continue making ‘under’ bettors $$$ hand over fist as long as the offense continues to falter.

And the rest…

4) Florida Marlins (16-13)(1-4 in L/5)

5) Oakland Athletics (12-13) (1-4 in L/5)