Baseball Manager Factor

The old baseball axiom of pitching being ninety percent of the game would get very little argument from most sports betting players, even if that baseball parable may be a bit of an exaggeration. There are very few baseball teams that ever got anywhere successfully without solid pitching. Again, the importance of pitching and its relation to sports handicapping baseball games gets very little argument.

The one factor or aspect of sports handicapping baseball, which causes considerably more debate amongst sports betting players is how significant a manger is for a baseball team. The arguments presented on both sides of the issue at online sports betting blogs and the evidence itself is mixed but, in the end, the manager has marginal influence over a baseball team and sports betting players would be wise to not put too much emphasis on managers when evaluating and sports handicapping baseball teams.

Sports betting players will recall that Joe Torre had a mediocre record and was bounced from several jobs as a manger before taking over the New York Yankees and leading them to dynasty status during the 1990’s and into the new millennium as contenders. What did Torre have in New York that he lacked at Atlanta and St. Louis where his record was mixed? What made Torre a ‘go with’ manager at many online sports betting websites and sportsbooks? He had George Steinbrenner’s money to buy, develop, and keep top-notch talent.

Mike Hargrove led the Cleveland Indians to their best era of baseball in nearly two generations before departing for Baltimore. When Hargrove arrived with the Orioles, many sports betting players immediately bought into the theory that Baltimore, with a well-heeled owner, would be off and running towards championships. It never happened and Hargrove departed for Seattle, where he is struggling in his first season.

Speaking of Seattle, many sports betting players considered the Mariners, under Lou Piniella, a money machine against the sports betting odds and line makers. Seattle was an annual title contender under Sweet Lou. But now that Piniella is in Tampa Bay, his teams are annually among the worst in baseball as he publicly complains about the lack of ownership commitment to winning. You won’t find a lot of online sports betting action on Piniella these days. Sports handicapping baseball comes down to team talent.