MLB Baseball
2012-07-20 - Chicago White Sox at Detroit Tigers
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
United States: Major League Baseball
Friday 20 July 2012 - First Pitch 7:05pm ET
12:05am (British Standard Time)
Preview
We might still be in July, but series like this between Divisional rivals that are both challenging for the top spot are already very important for the mentality and belief, particularly of the team that manages to win it.
The Detroit Tigers (49-44) trail the Chicago White Sox (50-42) by 1.5 games in the American League Central and they know they will actually move ahead of their rivals if they can sweep this series at home.
With the way the Tigers have been playing of late, there is every chance they could sweep the series and today they will be helped by their ace pitcher Justin Verlander. He will know the team has a great chance of winning games with the way they have been batting at the plate, but Verlander will look to make life that much easier for them.
The pitcher is 10-5 this season with a 2.43 ERA, but those numbers are even more impressive when looking at his last six starts as he has finished that run with a 5-1 record and a 1.91 ERA.
Games against the White Sox seem to also bring the best out of Verlander who is 10-1 with a 2.33 ERA in the last eleven starts against the Divisional rivals.
Chicago will be sending one of their more effective pitchers to the mound to try and counter Verlander. Jake Peavy will be given the ball and he brings a 7-6 record and a 3.12 ERA into the game, but he won't be as confident as his opposite number having been tagged for six runs and twelve hits in his last outing, the first in the second half of the season.
However, Peavy has a 1-0 record and a 1.72 ERA in two starts in Detroit since signing for the White Sox. He was tagged in his last appearance against them, at home, when he gave up six runs in just over five innings pitched against them.
Head to Head
The season series between the teams is currently tied at 4-4 and there are ten more matches to be played this season.
Detroit do have a decent record at home against the White Sox, winning 12 of the last 15 here against them.
Detroit are 25-21 at home this season, Chicago are 26-20 on the road.
Prediction
I would consider this a close game in usual circumstances, but I can't help feeling the Chicago White Sox may be a little demoralised after losing the game in Boston in the fashion they did last night and may come out a little flat having travelled to Detroit overnight.
The rest of the series may be a little more competitive, but it just feels this game may be a throwaway one for the White Sox, particularly if Justin Verlander continues his domination of them in this series.
With Jake Peavy struggling for his command on the mound, and the Detroit batters finding some real rhythm at the plate, this could be a chance for the Tigers to record another win by a couple of runs at the least and that is what I will be taking in the contest.
The Pick :
Detroit Tigers 5-2 Chicago White Sox
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
I'll back the Detroit Tigers - 1.5 Runs @ 2.17
