While we all tend to focus on the top teams in MLB when it comes time to wager, it should be noted that there are plenty of games featuring middle of the road teams going head to head. Playing these seemingly meaningless games can help make them that much more interesting, and we are going to focus on a few of those for our Thursday baseball betting previews. Miami will be on the road in St, Louis, while the Pirates and Phillies will lock horns in a Pennsylvania duel. Finally, the Cleveland Indians will be looking to cement their place at the top of the Central division when they close out their series with the San Diego Padres.
A Closer Look At The 2017 MLB Expert Picks and Winning Favorites for Thursday, July 6
Miami Marlins (37-45) at St. Louis Cardinals (40-43)
When: Thursday, July 6 at 1:45 PM ESTWhere: Busch Stadium, St. LouisTV: MLBNProbable Pitchers: Tom Koehler Vs Michael WachaAnalysis: The Miami Marlins have split the first two games of this series with the Cardinals, which is no real surprise given that they have been playing .500 ball for an extended period of time. This is a team that is tough to bet on because of their unpredictable play. They are 3-3 in their last 6 games in the OVER/UNDER, Run Line, and Straight Up, making them a very tough bet indeed. They will send Tom Koehler (1-3, 8.33 ERA) to the mound for this one.The Cardinals are just 4.5 games off the pace being set by the Milwaukee Brewers at the top of the division, but like their opponents here, they simply cannot seem to put together a consistent run of form. That said, they have been better of late, going 7-3 in their last 10 games. They have a shot at inching closer to the top if they can go on and win this series. Michael Wacha (5-3, 4.16 ERA) is unbeaten in his last 3 starts, and will go to the mound on Thursday.Miami Marlins MLB Trends
Miami is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 gamesThe total has gone OVER in 4 of Miami’s last 5 gamesMiami is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games on the roadThe total has gone OVER in 4 of Miami’s last 5 games on the roadMiami is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing St. LouisSt. Louis Cardinals MLB Trends
The total has gone OVER in 8 of St. Louis’s last 12 gamesThe total has gone OVER in 6 of St. Louis’s last 9 games at homeSt. Louis is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing MiamiSt. Louis is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing MiamiThe total has gone OVER in 10 of St. Louis’s last 11 games when playing MiamiMLB Pick: Miami Marlins 3 St. Louis Cardinals 8Pittsburgh Pirates (38-46) at Philadelphia Phillies (28-54)
When: Thursday, July 6 at 6:05 PM ESTWhere: Citizens Bank Park, PhiladelphiaTV: MLBNProbable Pitchers: Chad Kuhl Vs Jeremy HellicksonAnalysis: The Pirates snapped out of a 4-game losing skid with a shutout win over the Phillies on Tuesday, tying up the series in the process. If you are going to play the Pirates, it’s well worth looking at the run total, as they have gone UNDER in 7 of their last 8 games. The Pirates are a miserable 17-24 on the road, but you still need to like their chances in Philly. Chad Kuhl (2-6, 5.26 ERA) will get the start for Pittsburgh.The Phillies are the worst team in baseball, yet they always seem to find a way to keep things close, and have covered the spread in 7 of their last 10 games. Unfortunately, they only managed to pick up the win in 4 of those games. Playing at home has not really helped their cause, as they are just 15-21 in their own ball park. They have been particularly poor versus Central division opponents, going 6-15 this season. Jeremy Hellickson (5-5, 4.48 ERA) is scheduled to start for Philly.Pittsburgh Pirates MLB Trends
Pittsburgh is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 gamesPittsburgh is 2-4 SU in its last 6 gamesThe total has gone UNDER in 5 of Pittsburgh’s last 5 gamesPittsburgh is 13-5 ATS in its last 18 games on the roadPittsburgh is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the roadPhiladelphia Phillies MLB Trends
Philadelphia is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 gamesPhiladelphia is 7-18 SU in its last 25 gamesThe total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia’s last 6 gamesPhiladelphia is 8-15 ATS in its last 23 games at homePhiladelphia is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games at homeMLB Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates 4 Philadelphia Phillies 3