Danny Duffy might be your run-of-the-mill left-handed starting pitcher, but live bettors need to be aware that he could be in for a special day for the Kansas City Royals against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Jose Quintana will be dealing for the White Sox on Sunday. The Sox are 1-2 in those games which he has pitched, two of which have actually come against Duffy.
The lefty has been on fire of late, allowing just four runs and 20 hits over 21.1 innings of work since July 24.
The concern we have for Quintana is the way he is ending games. He allowed a run in his last inning against both Tampa Bay and Boston, and his ERA from the sixth inning on this year is over 5.00.
That said, a 3.50 ERA and 123 strikeouts against 29 walks is very good for Quintana, and live bettors should take note of that, at least early on in the game before he starts to tire out.
Do keep in mind though, that Quintana has thrown 109, 104 and 120 pitches in his last three starts, so he is bound to fall apart at some point.
Duffy really doesn't have much except for his awesome lineup and bullpen to make live bettors believe in him.
For the most part, this is a man who is only still in the bigs because he's left-handed. Duffy has a 4.04 ERA along with an unsightly 4.84 FIP, and his 54/37 K/BB ratio in 89 innings of work this year leaves a lot to be desired.
However, like Quintana, Duffy has at least been good lately. In his last five starts, his ERA has been a rather miniscule 2.18, and he has done a great job keeping men off base.
The issue though, is that he is hardly striking anyone out with just 13 Ks in that stretch, and he has a matching 13 walks to go with them.
ADVANCED STATS
These stats above might not have you onboard with Duffy in live betting, but we challenge you to go back and look at what he has done lately against the Sox.
The southpaw has allowed six earned runs over 18.1 innings against Chicago this season, and his WHIP has been a stellar 1.18.
Don't think that that's stunning, though. The White Sox have struggled mightily against lefties all year long. As a team, Chicago is batting just .234 against southpaws, and it is averaging just 3.37 runs per nine innings.
The Sox only have a home run rate of 1.7 percent against lefties, and they have struck out almost four times as often as they have walked against them.
Advantage: Duffy.
TALKING BULLPENS
The other big edge here for the Royals is that they have the bullpen which can shut down games. Being able to call upon Franklin Morales, Kris Medlen, Kelvin Herrera, Ryan Madson, Wade Davis and Greg Holland is out of this world. Clearly, this is the best bullpen in baseball from top to bottom, and the advanced stats back that claim up.
The KC bullpen is 21-6 this year with a 2.31 ERA. The team allows just 0.59 home runs per nine innings in relief, and it is stranding just under 82 percent of its base runners.
The MLB odds for this game will be available first at BookMaker Sportsbook. Gamble on the game between every half inning with BookMaker's live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen in the next at-bat or how many runs will be scored in the next inning. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone with BookMaker's new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here, and start wagering today! First pitch for the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Kansas City Royals is scheduled for Sunday, August 9, 2015 at 2:10 p.m. ET at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO. The contest will be televised live on WGN.
