All Star Games are a time of year when fans, media and MLB betting enthusiasts alike can gather around and daydream about all of the best players from each league playing full time with one another. In the past, the MLB was just like the NFL, NHL and NBA, in that the All Star Game was just for fun, with no real incentive online. However, in 2002 when an 11-inning game ended in a tie, the commissioner’s office knew it had to change up the rules. As a result, when Matt Cain and Justin Verlander take to the mound tomorrow night, they are doing so with the intention of guiding their league’s to a home field advantage victory.
A month ago, Matt Cain was making history, as he threw the 22nd perfect game in MLB sports betting history. Conversely, RA Dickey was flirting with becoming the 23rd pitcher to throw a perfect game, as not once but twice he had perfection broken up by a single hit. Statistically speaking, the two pitchers were neck and neck entering tomorrow night’s midsummer classic. Yet, honorary manager Tony La Russa elected to start Mr. Perfection Matt Cain over career journeyman turned 2012 feel good story RA Dickey. While most of our colleagues believe that Dickey should have got his feel good moment by starting the game, we understand La Russa’s logic completely.
Essentially, as we noted earlier, the MLB is the only league where the All Star Game actually means something. With home field advantage in the World Series on the line, the manager is responsible for giving his team the best opportunity to win. If the game meant nothing, then having Dickey start the game would have been a nice gesture. Now that isn’t to say that Dickey is a bad betting software pitcher. Rather, Matt Cain having more success on a stronger team, and previous experience winning in the World Series, takes precedent.
Another reason La Russa picked Matt Cain over RA Dickey to start the All Star Game was due to Dickey’s pitch selection. Dickey is one of the only knuckleball pitchers in the MLB. With the pitch being famous for escaping the catcher’s glove, La Russa felt that pairing Matt Cain with his teammate Buster Posey would give the NL a better chance then a Dickey and Posey combination. La Russa would go on to say that Dickey would be paired with St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, who is a better defensive catcher then Posey.
In the American League, Justin Verlander the reigning AL CY Young award winner receives the starting nod. Despite his team’s struggles throughout the first half of the season, Verlander has been a model of consistency. He leads the league in innings pitched, strike outs and is third in ERA and WHIP. Given that Verlander has carried the Tigers throughout the first half of the season, it comes as no surprise he will be the All Star Game starter for the American League. For all of your All Star wagering needs, log onto www.betonline.com/sportsbook