Two of the Best – Philadelphia Phillies vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Philadelphia Phillies vs. Los Angeles Dodgers 10:10 ET

Two of the best $$$-makers for baseball bettors in the 2009 MLB wagering season lock horns when the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies (31-20, +$750) invade Chavez Ravine to play the first of three against Manager Joe Torre’s Los Angeles Dodgers (37-18, +$1750). Both clubs lead their respective divisions coming into tonight’s sports betting battle. The Phillies hold a three-game lead over the New York Mets in the NL East, while the Dodgers carry a gargantuan 9.5-game lead in the NL West over the San Francisco Giants. Philadelphia comes into this series red hot having won eight of its L/10 ballgames (+$566), and they’re coming off a three game sweep of the San Diego Padres. They also boast the best road mark in the ‘Bigs” having won 19 of their 25 games as a visitor, which has put a healthy $1525 of baseball betting profits in their betting backer’s pockets. As for Los Angeles, it just keeps on winning even without the services off All Star LF Manny Ramirez (16-10, +$520 w/out him). They boast the league’s best record at 37-18 overall and have made MLB bettors a whopping $1750 on the year. They’re coming off a series win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, and as a host, are 20-6 overall for a seasonal profit of $1100.

Cole Hamels and the visiting Phillies currently sit as short -115 road favorites over Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers with the ‘total’ set at 8 under -115 according to the current BetOnline MLB odds.

Hamels had been rolling right along up until his last start against the Washington Nationals where he gave up eight hits and six ER’s through six innings of work, but his offense supplied him with nine runs of support to allow him to grab his third victory of the season. The Phillies staff ace is 3-2 on the year with a 5.21 ERA and 1.41 WHIP with a K/BB ratio of 50/10 in nine overall starts. Before his start vs. Washington, Cole surrendered two earned runs or less in five of his previous six starts. He’s dominated the Dodgers the five times he’s thrown at them going 3-0 with a 2.06 ERA & 1.03 WHIP.

Opposing the lefty will be the Dodgers fire balling southpaw Clayton Kershaw. The kids electric to say the least, but he can be wild at times (32 BB’s in 56 total innings pitched). Kershaw enters his 11th start of the season 3-3 with a 4.34 ERA allowing just 40 hits and 27 ER’s through 56 total innings of work. He didn’t have his best stuff his last time out against Colorado, but it was good enough to pick up his third win of the season. LA is 3-1 in his home starts where he’s allowed just 13 hits and three earned runs with a K/BB ratio of 24/10 through 24 total innings of work.

As great as the Dodgers have been playing of late, Philly’s playing that much better. Nobody’s gone into Petco and swept the Padres this season, and the defending champs made it look easy. They weren’t playing good ball the first time these teams hooked up back in mid May, so expect Manager Charlie Manuel to have his men ready to lay claim that they’re the best the NL has to offer at this point in the season. Back the defending champs as short chalks and look for their patience to allow them to get to Kershaw, like it has every time they’ve faced him, and allow them to pull out the Game 1 victory.

Rose’s Recommendation: 4* Philadelphia -115 (Hamels)

(Rating Scale: 1* – 5*)