For the last few years baseball has been a sport that has been the most difficult for me to handicap. I have been able to make a profit almost every season in both pro and college football and basketball, but baseball has caused me to toss the remote at the television more than I usually. However, there is a reason why you should read this article. I have learned from my mistakes over the last few years and have been showing steady improvement in the sport, with last year being my best. This season is looking to be my best ever based on my profitable start, and I feel confident that I will show a profit at the end of the year. The biggest reason I struggled with baseball handicapping is that it took me awhile to realize that this sport is different from football or basketball, two sports that I think are very similar from a handicapping perspective. I have been learning more and more about the unique intricacies of the sport, which has enabled me to develop a good baseball handicapping strategy. Ok, enough rambling, here’s what I think are the keys when it comes to handicapping the most popular sport in the summer. These articles will be a several part series where I explain what I think are the most important keys to baseball handicapping.

CAREER STATISTICS AGAINST STARTING PITCHING - I feel that this is one of the most important things to look at when handicapping baseball. This theory used to be something I didn‘t consider as much, but I have now come to realize that it’s critical when looking at games. What I mean by this is that you need to look at how the better hitters have done against a certain starting pitcher in their career. This information can be found in fantasy baseball or national media previews on games. For example, with the Minnesota Twins I would definitely want to know how Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau have done against that specific starter in their careers. You can also look at how a pitcher has done in his career against the team he is facing, however that information can be skewed because of line-ups changing throughout the years.

STREAKS - Hot streaks are very critical to look at in baseball handicapping. I never want to fade a team on a winning streak of about four games or more. The reverse is true of teams on a losing streak of about four games or more, as I will look to fade that team or not make a play on the game. I feel that streaks are so important because it affects how the whole team plays. A questionable starter or bullpen might feel much more motivated to pitch well when the team is winning, which makes them pitch better than their statistical average. Hitters might bring more focus to the plate, especially those who average statistically. Essentially a winning streak can bring more energy, motivation, preparation, and focus to everyone on the team from hitters to the pitching staff. The exact opposite can be said of a losing streak, which makes teams play much worse than they are capable of because the players feel hopeless and depressed because of a losing streak.