Every day The Baseball Handicapper analyzes and handicaps each Major League Baseball game looking for the smart plays for the sharp betting on baseball. When we believe that there is a significant edge in making a play, we will make it a Best Bet and release this information to our Baseball Insiders, those with a paid subscription. Insiders will have access to all our Best Bets, which will also include a brief write-up explaining why each Best Bet is a smart play.
                                                                                                                 
Occasionally we will make one of these Best Bets a Free Pick available to all Members, but most of the time our free baseball handicapping picks will be those plays that are very close to being a Best Bet, but not quite the caliber of a play that we feel warrants a 2-unit Best Bet rating.  We will only put out a Free Pick to our Members if we sincerely believe that you have an edge by making the bet.  This is why we will not issue a Free Pick everyday as there may not be any worthwhile plays for that day.  As a Member, you can expect to receive a Free Pick several times a week.

If you are not a member of The Baseball Handicapper visit www.thebaseballhandicapper.com to join now so you can gain a competitive advantage.

There will likely be 200 to 300 baseball handicapping selections throughout the season, which works out to 10 to 15 picks per week. There will also be Playoff and World Series selections when The Baseball Handicapper sees favorable situations and line value.

The Baseball Handicapper’s math model requires each starting pitcher to have at least two (2) starts both at home and away before we will even consider a game as a Best Bet. This is why we do not begin releasing picks to our subscribers until the 3rd or 4th week of the season. This will also explain why you will not see Best Bets from The Baseball Handicapper on games with a rookie pitcher just brought up from the Minor Leagues, seen most often in the dog days of summer in late August and September, when a team is out of Playoff contention. We may, however, have some early season strong opinions (not a best bet) based on other factors than the math.

Our Best Bets will be sent to you via email. When there are day and night games it is possible you will receive two (2) emails that day, one in the morning no later than Noon Eastern (9am Pacific) and the other no later than 6pm Eastern (3pm Pacific). This allows The Baseball Handicapper to account for the most current player matchups, weather conditions, and scheduled umpires, which are not always known by Noon Eastern Time when we release our Daytime Best Bets. Our emails will clearly state whether or not you should expect another email that same day.

We released 6 selections for the week, in keeping with our recent form of a pick pace below our anticipated levels.

As this is the final week of the regular season many teams “tinker” with lineups by resting players or using untested reserves. As such I am not anticipating a large number of plays for this week either.

American League Pennant and Wild Card Races

These comments include the games of Monday, September 27^th.

We have maintained the last few weeks that Tampa Bay, Minnesota and Texas would win their Divisions with the Yankees taking the Wild Card. Currently this scenario is holding but the Rays are leading the Yankees by only ½ game. We still anticipate Tampa to take the Division not only because of their easier remaining schedule, but because should they end the season in a tie the Rays would be named the Division Champ by virtue of their winning their season series over the Yanks 10-8. There would not be a 1 game tiebreaker because the losing team would still make the playoffs as the Wild Card. So New York will need to make up 1½ games on Tampa in the remaining week of the season to win the Division outright.

Minnesota is still lurking 1 game behind in the race for overall best record in the American League. Here too, a tie does the Twins no good as they lost their season series to both the Yankees and the Rays. Therefore Minnesota will have to make up 2 full games this week if they are to end the Season with best record in the AL. If they do not succeed, whether they maintain a better record than the loser of the NY/Tampa duel doesn’t matter, because by statute the Wild Card Team cannot have the Home Field advantage in any series throughout the AL Playoffs.

If I am correct about the finish in the AL the playoffs would open with Texas visiting Tampa Bay and New York visiting Minnesota. The first round of the playoffs is a best of 5 played in a 2-2-1 format.

It's Tuesday, Septepmber 28th. Are you ready for some baseball? Check out the Baseball Handicapper's comprehensive schedule here of tonight's games. We include odds from all major betting sites, as well as opening units!

Let's play ball!

Last week we looked at the American League Pennant and Wild Card Races and concluded that Tampa Bay, Minnesota and Texas would win their Divisions with the Yankees taking the Wild Card. Through games of Sunday, September 19th New York was maintaining a ½ game lead on the Rays. Looking at the remaining schedules list below we see that Tampa clearly has the easier schedule down the stretch and the Yankees will need to take their final series versus the Rays in order to extend their lead. I look for the Rays to win the Division.


The team with the best overall record in the regular season is rewarded with the home field advantage throughout the American League playoffs. Currently the Yankees lead that race, but Minnesota is lurking 1 game behind. Should the Yankees and Rays split, Minnesota would have a very real chance of surpassing New York by virtue of their soft schedule. The Twins have lost their season series against both New York and Tampa Bay, so it will take the absolute best record to earn this reward. A tie with either team will result in the Yanks or Rays having the Home field advantage.


Listed below are the remaining schedules for the division teams in question and the current AL Standings.

Last week we looked at the National League Pennant and Wild Card Races and concluded that Philadelphia, Cincinnati and San Francisco would win their divisions and that the Atlanta-San Diego Wild Card race would be the one to watch. This week we will examine the last 3 weeks of the American League Season. As you are aware, the 3 division champs enter the league playoffs along with the non-division winner with the best record. They are considered the Wild-Card team.



This data is through the games of Sunday, September 12th. On the left is the traditional standings, the table on the right analyzes the Wild Card Race.

As we are in the final month of the season I thought we might take a look at the League races. This week it will be the National League, and next week the American. As you are aware, the 3 division champs enter the league playoffs along with the non-division winner with the best record. They are considered the Wild-Card team.

This data is through the games of Sunday, September 5th. On the left is the traditional standings, the table on the right analyzes the Wild Card Race.