2012 MLB All-Star Game Betting Preview

Written by :

Carrie Stroup

Published on :

10 July, 2012

Carrie Stroup here with your 2012 MLB All-Star Game betting preview courtesy of Sportsbook, which was offering up to $350 in FREE CASH to qualified customers here.

Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: American League -144 & 8.5 over -115

The 83rd MLB All-Star Game will take place at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City on Tuesday night when the National League will try and win their third straight Midsummer Classic after a long period of dominance by the American League.

Over/Under bettors should know that the All-Star Game has lacked big-time run production over the past few years. The under is 4-0 since the 2008 All-Star Game and there has been seven or fewer runs scored in each of those exhibitions. With pitching dominating the game in recent years, expect this trend to continue with the <b>UNDER (-105)</b> occurring again. Speaking of pitching, the American League has the superior staff, including Tuesday’s starter Justin Verlander who is 9-2 with a 1.83 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 13 career starts in Kansas City. Jered Weaver (ML-best 1.96 ERA and 0.90 WHIP), Chris Sale (2.19 ERA, 0.95 WHIP), Jake Peavy (2.85 ERA, 0.99 WHIP), Felix Hernandez (128 K, t-1^st in majors), David Price (11-4, 2.82 ERA) and Yu Darvish (10-5, 117 K) comprise an impressive six-pack of starters. Matt Cain will be making his third All-Star appearance as the NL starter on Tuesday, but no other National League pitcher has thrown in more than one All-Star Game, with the exception of Phillies reliever Jonathan Papelbon, who made two appearances with the Red Sox in the AL. National League Starters R.A. Dickey (12-1, 2.40 ERA), Lance Lynn (11-4, 3.41 ERA), Wade Miley (9-5, 3.04 ERA) and Stephen Strasburg (9-4, 2.82 ERA, 128 K) will all be making their All-Star debuts.

There are also a lot of new faces among the National League hitters, as Carlos Beltran is the only player in the starting lineup that also started last season. On the other hand, the AL lineup is much more experienced with seven players that started in the 2011 All-Star Game: Robinson Cano, Josh Hamilton, Jose Bautista, Adrian Beltre, David Ortiz, Curtis Granderson and Prince Fielder, who played in the NL last year and was named the game’s MVP.

Before losing the last two years, the AL had won seven straight and were 12-0-1 in their previous 13 games (there was a tie in 2002). Going back to 1986, the American League was 19-4-1 (.826) before their 3-1 defeat in 2010 and 5-1 loss last season.

Since 2003, this game has decided which league hosts the World Series. That is significant since 21 of the past 26 World Series winners have had home-field advantage. Also, the past nine World Series Game 7s have been won by the home team.

STARTING PITCHERS

NL: Matt Cain (9-3, 2.62 ERA, 0.96 WHIP

AL: Justin Verlander (9-5, 2.58 ERA, 0.95 WHIP)

STARTING LINEUPS

National League

1. Carlos Gonzalez, DH, Rockies

2. Melky Cabrera, CF, Giants

3. Ryan Braun, LF, Brewers

4. Joey Votto, 1B, Reds

5. Carlos Beltran, RF, Cardinals

6. Buster Posey, C, Giants

7. Pablo Sandoval, 3B, Giants