April 14 Major League Baseball Trends and Betting Previews: Athletics vs. Rangers, Rockies vs. Giants (Podcast)

Gambling911.com takes a look at the Oakland A's vs. Texas Rangers and Colorado Rockies vs. San Francisco Giants games Sunday.

LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST ABOVE

Oakland A's vs. Texas Rangers

What We Like:

• Oakland have won nine of the last ten meetings between these two teams
• The Athletics are 22-8 in the last thirty meetings
• The line has moved from -135 to -145, generally following the action
• Value is still good betting the Athletics

What We Don't Like:

• Brett Anderson coming off three wins and Adrian Sampson making his first start of the season
• The Athletics are 1-6 in Anderson’s last 7 road starts.

The Athletics were seeing around 70% of the consensus picks. 

The total has dropped from 11 to 10 with three of the last four games played between these two teams going OVER 10.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Brett Anderson (3-0, 2.50 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Adrian Sampson (0-1, 1.86)

Anderson improved to 3-0 after three turns for the first time since 2012 with Tuesday's win at Baltimore in which he permitted two runs on seven hits and a walk in 6 2/3 innings. The 31-year-old has issued seven free passes and allowed 18 hits over as many frames but has kept the damage to a minimum, in part because he has yielded only four extra-base hits. Anderson had his way with Texas last season, winning both of his starts while giving up a total of two runs across 13 innings.

Sampson will be making his first start of the campaign after allowing two runs on eight hits and four walks over 9 2/3 innings in two relief appearances. The 27-year-old native of Washington is in search of his first major-league victory as he is 0-5 with a 4.10 ERA in eight career games (five starts). Sampson made his only appearance against Oakland in relief on Sept. 7, when he surrendered three runs - two earned - and four hits while retiring just one batter.

While not making an official pick, we are giving the A's a 55% chance of winning here.

Rockies vs. Giants

What We Like:

• Home team is 9-1 in last ten meetings
• San Francisco 5-1 in the last six meetings
• Giants solid bullpen
• Colorado is 1-7 in their last 8 road games

What We Don't Like:

• Rockies starter German Marquez coming off loss is a solid pitcher
• Rockies are 5-1 in their last 6 during game 4 of a series
• Rockies are 1-12 in their last 13 games following a loss
• Giants are 1-8 in their last 9 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game
• Giants are 0-7 in their last 7 Sunday games

Action is balanced both sides here with the line coming in -105 both sides at some books but generally Colorado is slightly favored at -106 to -110, San Francisco is 100 to -105.

This one has dropped from Colorado -125 to -105.

The total has been swinging from 6.5 to 7.

In order to keep this one UNDER that number the Rockies will likely need to have German Marquez make it into the 8th inning.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH German Marquez (1-1, 3.00 ERA) vs. Giants LH Derek Holland (1-1, 3.38)

Marquez suffered his first loss of the season Tuesday against Atlanta, allowing five runs on seven hits - two homers - across five frames in a 7-1 setback. The 24-year-old Venezuelan was outstanding on the team's trip to Florida to open the season, permitting one run over 13 innings against Miami and Tampa Bay. Yangervis Solarte is 4-for-6 with a pair of homers versus Marquez, who was 0-1 with a 3.55 ERA in two starts against San Francisco last year.

Holland registered his first quality start of the season Tuesday, limiting San Diego to one run on five hits with nine strikeouts across seven innings for the victory. The 32-year-old Ohio native, who is 77-74 in his career, has struck out 21 batters in 16 innings but walked eight batters in three starts to drive up his pitch count. Desmond is 4-for-8 with two homers and five RBIs against Holland, who was 1-1 with a 4.58 ERA in three starts versus Colorado in 2018.

We are giving the Giants a 55% chance here but again this is not an offical pick.

2019 MLB Record: 5-2-1 (71%)

2018-19 College Basketball Record: 12-9 (57.1%)

2018-19 NBA Record: 6-4 (60%)

2018 MLB Record: 45-35 (56.2%)

2018 NBA Record: 12-4-1 (75%)