Sports Betting Overview Let’s remove one misconception from this series right off the bat. The fact that the Cardinals had to play hard right up to the last game of the season to get into the playoffs does not handicap it against a rested Phillies’ starting line up. Many of the Phillies’ starters played in the last game of the season against the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia even used its bullpen to finish off the game. The Cardinals feel good, are completely healthy and riding a significant wave of momentum heading into this series. The Phillies have all of the confidence that comes with being the undisputed best team in the majors during the regular season. But, as the Phillies learned last year, anything can happen once the playoffs start. Could the St. Louis Cardinals be the San Francisco Giants of the 2011 playoffs? It is doubtful because the Cardinals do not have the dominant starting and closing pitchers that the Giants had last year in Lincecum and Wilson. But St. Louis does have a very solid pitching staff to go along with an explosive offense. The cost per head betting experts know that the Phillies cannot take the Cardinals for granted or Philadelphia will be out in the first round of the playoffs. Philadelphia Phillies Just like last season, the Phillies start this year’s playoffs with Roy Halladay on the mound. Last year, Halladay delivered a no-hitter in his first-ever playoff start. It was extremely exciting and probably will not be repeated in this game. Not that the price per head regular season games mean much in the playoffs, but the last time Halladay faced the Cardinals was a September 19th loss where he gave up four runs on six hits. Halladay does not have a lot of playoff experience, but he looked like a completely different pitcher in the playoffs last year. He shook off inconsistencies and was a pillar of strength for the Phillies. Look for Halladay to have the same effect in these playoffs. St. Louis Cardinals Kyle Lohse gets the start for the Cardinals in this playoff opener, and there are a few good reasons why Lohse is on the mound for St. Louis in this very important game. First of all, Lohse is 6-1 in his last 10 starts and has been averaging over four strikeouts per game. The other reason for Lohse to start this game is the sportsbook reviews of his last outing in Philadelphia. Lohse is the St. Louis starter that beat Halladay on September 19th. Lohse allowed zero runs in seven and a third innings pitched in a performance that the Cardinals hope he can repeat in this game. The Bottom Line It is really difficult to predict MLB scores against Roy Halladay in the playoffs, especially in the divisional round. This game will be very close and a fun game to watch. But the Phillies are not the best team in the majors by accident. This one could be a heartbreaker for St. Louis fans. Pick: Philadelphia Phillies
