Ala Hann Sport picks

The 2010 World Cup betting is picking up pace as the teams reach the knock-out round, and things in MLB inter-league play are getting interesting as well. The Philadelphia Phillies visit the Toronto Blue Jays in what should be an entertaining baseball game between two talented teams. But with all of the talent on the field, there is even more drama that this game has to offer.

When the season started, betting people had their money on Roy Halladay to take the NL Cy Young award. But the MLB betting crowd has been stunned to find that the adjustment from AL to NL has made Halladay’s record average at best. His record stands at 8-6, but his average is an impressive 2.43. He has 98 strikeouts to only 16 walks in 115 innings pitched. This is definitely Roy Halladay, the problem is the team surrounding him.

As a team the Phillies have a .256 batting average which puts them in the bottom half of the NL. Their team number of 35 stolen bases puts them near the bottom of the NL and their 317 runs scored puts them in the middle of the NL pack. Simply put, the Phillies are having problems scoring runs. Until they figure that out, they will continue to waste a talent like Roy Halladay.

This game will see the continuing return of Toronto pitcher Jesse Litsch who had Tommy John surgery over a year ago. Before getting injured, Litsch was a key component to the late run the Blue Jays had in 2008 towards the playoffs. After a rehab assignment in AAA, Litsch gives it another try in the big leagues.

As with most pitchers recovering from Tommy John surgery, Litsch has struggled during his comeback. He has an 0-1 record and a 6.75 ERA. His last start shows signs of improvement as he pitched seven innings against the San Francisco Giants and allowed no runs on three hits.

For as poorly as the Phillies have hit this season, they are still the Phillies. They still have Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth to hit the ball. Just like with World Cup finals betting, you don’t bet against the team with the power.

In some ways this game will be good for Jesse Litsch. He is pitching in front of a team that has the most home runs in baseball (108), the second most doubles (155) and is tenth in baseball with 327 RBIs. So the Blue Jays can hit and they can score. The problem is that they are facing Roy Halladay who can not only pitch with the best of them, but Halladay also knows the tendencies of each and every player on the Blue Jay roster. He will know which guys can hit the fast ball and which guys cannot. He knows which guys chase outside stuff and which guys stay at home. Don’t kid yourself, that is a huge advantage for a pitcher.

Pick: Philadelphia Phillies 6-2

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