Gambling guide

Want to bet? Here are some plays for the weekend

Want to bet? Here are some plays for the weekend
Will Gary Patterson and TCU cover the spread this week? Tom Pennington/Getty Images

Jay K. Stark provides weekly gambling selections for SportsMap and Houstonsportsandstuff:

Maryland @ Ohio State -30.5: Minnesota looked flat and took a 3rd string Maryland QB for granted last week- Urban Meyer will not. Ohio State can name their number here and I think it gets out of hand in a hurry.

Washington State @ Oregon +2.5: Prove it to me Leach. Washington State has not played a road game all year and is coming off the biggest win in their programs history. If Oregon brings any form of defense to this game I think they win outright. Can Oregon cover and tackle anyone? I hope so.

West Virginia +13.5 @ TCU Hold your nose. I know TCU is very good.  However, they have covered as a DD favorite at home 1 of their last 12 times. I heard an interview this week on 97.5, in which Coach Holgorsen told John and Raheel, “We are blessed to be on the same field this week with those guys.” (catch that at podcastarena) WVU needs to stop the run. But they should put up a spirited effort this week.

Chiefs @ Texans +1 Breaking from the theme of the week of picking against teams coming off a HUGE win, this is a bad spot for the Chiefs with back to back nationally televised games and less time for travel. There is going to be time to fade the Texans, but the line says they are the right play this week.

Possible adds Saturday morning.

As always, any questions or hate mail please direct them to me @jayoff288

 

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Kyle Tucker returns to Houston this weekend. Composite Getty Image.

Two first-place teams, identical records, and a weekend set with serious measuring-stick energy.

The Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs open a three-game series Friday night at Daikin Park, in what could quietly be one of the more telling matchups of the summer. Both teams enter at 48-33, each atop their respective divisions — but trending in slightly different directions.

The Astros have been red-hot, going 7-3 over their last 10 while outscoring opponents by 11 runs. They've done it behind one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, with a collective 3.41 ERA that ranks second in the American League. Houston has also been dominant at home, where they’ve compiled a 30-13 record — a stat that looms large heading into this weekend.

On the other side, the Cubs have held their ground in the NL Central but have shown some recent shakiness. They're 5-5 over their last 10 games and have given up 5.66 runs per game over that stretch. Still, the offense remains dangerous, ranking fifth in on-base percentage across the majors. Kyle Tucker leads the way with a .287 average, 16 homers, and 49 RBIs, while Michael Busch has been hot of late, collecting 12 hits in his last 37 at-bats.

Friday’s pitching matchup features Houston’s Brandon Walter (0-1, 3.80 ERA, 1.10 WHIP) and Chicago’s Cade Horton (3-1, 3.73 ERA, 1.29 WHIP), a promising young arm making one of his biggest starts of the season on the road. Horton will have his hands full with Isaac Paredes, who’s slugged 16 homers on the year, and Mauricio Dubón, who’s found a groove with four home runs over his last 10 games.

It’s the first meeting of the season between these two clubs — and if the trends continue, it may not be the last time they cross paths when it really counts.

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Astros -112, Cubs -107; over/under is 8 1/2 runs

Here's a preview of Joe Espada's Game 1 lineup.

The first thing that stands out is rookie Cam Smith is hitting cleanup, followed by Jake Meyers. Victor Caratini is the DH and is hitting sixth. Christian Walker is all the way down at seventh, followed by Yainer Diaz, and Taylor Trammell who is playing left field.

How the mighty have fallen.

Pretty wild to see Walker and Diaz hitting this low in the lineup. However, it's justified, based on performance. Walker is hitting a pathetic .214 and Diaz is slightly better sporting a .238 batting average.

Screenshot via: MLB.com



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