Tips on baseball betting.

As a handicapper, there are some important things to look at before you decide to back a team with a selection. My job is to guide you through some of the angles and situations that make a difference in betting baseball.

Starting Pitching: The starting pitcher is single-handedly the biggest factor when placing a wager on a MLB game. How can you tell? Do you see any quarterback names being listed next to an NFL team on the betting board at the Mirage?

• Let me give you an example: Every fifth day the Minnesota Twins have the pleasure of penciling in Cy Young Award Winner Johan Santana. For the casual bettor, it seems like a no-brainer to play the Twins against any opponent, but it has proven to be disastrous. The Twins are just 7-7 in Santanas 14 starts so far in 2007 and backers have lost an incredible $744.

Another major factor in looking at the starting pitcher is how he performs against a particular opponent. Some pitchers can simply dominate the opposition or struggle from the opening pitch.

• One of the surest bets in baseball since 2001 is playing Houston ace Roy Oswalt against division-rival Cincinnati. Oswalt has tallied a 19-1 record and 2.46 ERA in 24 career appearances (22 starts) against the Reds in his career. Of course, there are plenty of other factors to consider when betting Oswalt against the Reds, but honestly this is the only stat the betting public will need to gain confidence in betting Houston.

An angle that gets lost in shuffle sometimes is the home versus road dichotomy. Some pitchers simply pitch better in a familiar environment or enjoy life on the road. A certain mound or stadium may suit their pitching style better than others. Ive really taken notice of this angle recently in analyzing Red Sox starter Tim Wakefield and Los Angeles starter Ervin Santana:

• Wakefield enjoys pitching in a controlled environment due to his knuckle ball. I've read numerous articles that have quoted Wakefield in saying that a dome is favorable for a knuckle balls movement. His 2007 stats in dome stadiums certainly back this up, as hes 3-0 and has allowed just one earned run in 21 innings inside a roofed stadium.
• Santana certainly fits the home/road angle when handicapping a game that hes starting. The right-hander is an incredible 23-6 with a 2.98 ERA in 37 career starts at Angels Stadium, but get him on the road and hes below average. Hes a miserable 10-17 with a 6.72 ERA in 33 career starts away from home.

Bullpen: The game of baseball has certainly evolved over the last two decades and the bullpen is certainly in the forefront. Starting pitchers simply dont go the distance anymore and its not because their not fit enough. Managers have a wealth of information at their fingertips and will almost always look at the best possible match-up.

Take for instance a game that has similar starting pitchers matched up against each other. Sure you can take the home pitcher in this kind of situation, but its more important to look at which team has the stronger bullpen when the starters are removed.

With so many baseball games being won or lost by a single run, its crucial as a handicapper to take notice of the teams that have stronger pens. Its certainly no coincidence that the San Diego Padres (2.11 ERA) and the Boston Red Sox (3.03 ERA) carry the lowest ERA and lead their respective leagues.

Hitting: The old saying goes, Good pitching will beat good hitting, but that certainly can be challenged over the course of a season. The top 5 hitting teams in MLB thru 70 games all have winning records: Detroit .293, Los Angeles .288, Seattle .284, New York (AL) .283 and Boston .273.

When looking at an offensive team, youre really looking to find a pitching match-up that they can exploit. Detroit's batting average is certainly impressive, but it gets even more attractive to play the Tigers against a left-handed starter due to their .314 average against them. You can gain even more confidence with a selection if the hitters have success versus that particular pitcher.

Base Running: This angle is often overlooked, but can be a major player in the right situation. The New York Mets lead the major leagues in stolen bases and it would be very difficult for a pitcher that has a slower move to the plate to eventually come up with a victory in an even match-up.

• On June 15, I was handicapping the New York Mets/New York Yankees game on a Friday night in Vegas. New York's Roger Clemens was making his second start of the year and it could be very easy to back him, but then this angle came to mind. The Mets came away with a 2-0 victory and shortstop Jose Reyes proved to be a deciding factor with three important stolen bases against a slower pitcher to the plate in Clemens.

Home/Road: Often times youll find that the top teams in the league Take Care of Business at home. Currently in the American League, each division leader has the best home record amongst its competitors.

One of the main factors of being a great home or road team is dealing with the distractions that come with each side. At home, a player may have family to deal with and personal matters outside the ball park that they normally wouldnt have on a road trip. On the other hand, when on the road players may fall out of their normal routine, as they live in hotels and eat at unfamiliar places.

Current Form: Possibly the simplest factor of all, but still very important. A team that is riding a win streak is obviously more confident when coming to the ball park and can turn into a buzz saw given the right situation.

Umpire: Most outcomes in MLB are determined by the players on the field, but the umpire behind home plate can certainly have a say as well. Both hitters and pitchers are constantly adjusting to the umpire throughout the game and some have found a hidden advantage with this angle.

Future Hall-of-Fame pitchers Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux have benefited greatly in their careers with umpires that have a larger horizontal strike zone. Both dont have an overpowering fastball, but their pinpoint control is a dangerous opponent if the strike zone is extended a few inches off the corners.

The umpire can also be emotionally influenced by a home crowd in a tight ball game. This gives the home team a decisive advantage when the game is up for grabs in the late innings.