PREMIUM
Stephen Nover's MLB Thursday Bookie Killer
(MLB) Kansas City vs. LA Angels,
Money Line: -128.00 LA Angels (Home)
Result: Loss
Money Line: -128.00 LA Angels (Home)
Result: Loss
To make this play more palpable we have to knock down several perceptions.
The first being the Angels can't win minus Mike Trout. Not true. They are 9-7 without him, including winning five of their last seven.
The second is the Royals are hot. Yes, they've won four in a row. Those victories have come, however, against the Padres and Giants. Those two teams have the second and third-worst records in the majors.
The third is laying a price with Ricky Nolasco starting. I get that. Nolasco is mediocre. He's lost his last five starts. But he hasn't pitched poorly during those outings giving up three runs or fewer in three of them. He held the Astros, a much stronger offensive team than the Royals, to two runs in seven innings during his last start.
The Royals have scored the fewest runs in the American League so Nolasco isn't exactly going up against the '27 Yankees.
Nolasco's mediocrity trumps Royals starter, Matt Strahm. The lefty will be making his first career major league start. He has been a reliever his entire big league career. Strahm is 1-3 with a 4.50 ERA in 20 games this season. Strahm is getting the nod only because of an injury to Danny Duffy and the Royals losing faith in Eric Skogulund. In other words, he's a desperation ploy.
The Angels are 11-6 versus southpaw starters this season. They've won five of the past six against them. Strahm has control issues walking 18 in 22 innings. He's going to be on a pitch count, too, so the Royals less than stellar middle relief figures to get plenty of work.
I'd much prefer Nolasco against Strahm and a motley collection of Royals relief pitchers. The Royals are five games under .500 on the road. The Angels are at their best hosting opponents with a losing away mark winning 21 of the past 29 times against them.
The first being the Angels can't win minus Mike Trout. Not true. They are 9-7 without him, including winning five of their last seven.
The second is the Royals are hot. Yes, they've won four in a row. Those victories have come, however, against the Padres and Giants. Those two teams have the second and third-worst records in the majors.
The third is laying a price with Ricky Nolasco starting. I get that. Nolasco is mediocre. He's lost his last five starts. But he hasn't pitched poorly during those outings giving up three runs or fewer in three of them. He held the Astros, a much stronger offensive team than the Royals, to two runs in seven innings during his last start.
The Royals have scored the fewest runs in the American League so Nolasco isn't exactly going up against the '27 Yankees.
Nolasco's mediocrity trumps Royals starter, Matt Strahm. The lefty will be making his first career major league start. He has been a reliever his entire big league career. Strahm is 1-3 with a 4.50 ERA in 20 games this season. Strahm is getting the nod only because of an injury to Danny Duffy and the Royals losing faith in Eric Skogulund. In other words, he's a desperation ploy.
The Angels are 11-6 versus southpaw starters this season. They've won five of the past six against them. Strahm has control issues walking 18 in 22 innings. He's going to be on a pitch count, too, so the Royals less than stellar middle relief figures to get plenty of work.
I'd much prefer Nolasco against Strahm and a motley collection of Royals relief pitchers. The Royals are five games under .500 on the road. The Angels are at their best hosting opponents with a losing away mark winning 21 of the past 29 times against them.
