PREMIUM
Stephen Nover's Early Game Discount Casher
(MLB) Chi Cubs vs. San Francisco,
Point Spread: 1.50 | -130.00 Chi Cubs (Away)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: 1.50 | -130.00 Chi Cubs (Away)
Result: Loss
Madison Bumgarner is an elite pitcher and is in great form. So why buck him?
The answer is value. Value wins out over the course of the long baseball season and I'm hoping it shows up here.
The Cubs have a lot going for them. They are one of the hottest teams in baseball winning 21 of their last 26 games. Chicago is 6-1 in its last seven games. The Giants are 2-5 in their last seven games.
The Cubs have the best young talent in baseball. They have scored 80 runs in their last 13 games. That's an average of more than six runs per game.
The Giants are minus three of their best players. Hunter Pence and Joe Panik are both on the DL. Shortstop Brandon Crawford isn't expected to play because of tightness on his left side. In addition, outfielder Gregor Blanco may be out again after missing Wednesday's game with a strained left hip. The Giants may get back Angel Pagan, though. He's eligible to come off the DL today.
Still, the Giants aren't playing particularly well. Yet they are laying a huge price despite a cluster injury problem against a hot team.
Dan Haren is the weak link in the Cubs' starting rotation. But the veteran has two things going for him: He's facing a weakened Giants lineup that is far from full strength and he's pitching in at AT&T Park. That's huge for Haren because he's a fly ball pitcher and AT&T Park is spacious, one of the better pitching parks in the majors.
The answer is value. Value wins out over the course of the long baseball season and I'm hoping it shows up here.
The Cubs have a lot going for them. They are one of the hottest teams in baseball winning 21 of their last 26 games. Chicago is 6-1 in its last seven games. The Giants are 2-5 in their last seven games.
The Cubs have the best young talent in baseball. They have scored 80 runs in their last 13 games. That's an average of more than six runs per game.
The Giants are minus three of their best players. Hunter Pence and Joe Panik are both on the DL. Shortstop Brandon Crawford isn't expected to play because of tightness on his left side. In addition, outfielder Gregor Blanco may be out again after missing Wednesday's game with a strained left hip. The Giants may get back Angel Pagan, though. He's eligible to come off the DL today.
Still, the Giants aren't playing particularly well. Yet they are laying a huge price despite a cluster injury problem against a hot team.
Dan Haren is the weak link in the Cubs' starting rotation. But the veteran has two things going for him: He's facing a weakened Giants lineup that is far from full strength and he's pitching in at AT&T Park. That's huge for Haren because he's a fly ball pitcher and AT&T Park is spacious, one of the better pitching parks in the majors.
