MLB Betting: Chicago Cubs (-122)
Tue May 20 ‘08 8:05p - Click Here for MLB Betting Odds
Ryan Dempster will toe the bump for his 10th start of the year after closing for the Cubs the last couple seasons. His success within the starting rotation is certainly one of the contributing factors to Chicago’s hot start. He’s 5-2 with a 2.35 ERA and has allowed 35 hits and 22 runs (15 earned) in a shade over 57 total innings of work. Dempster struck out a career-high 12 batters and allowed six hits in his last outing against the Padres nearly posting a complete-game shutout. He’s been a tough luck loser on the road this season posting an 0-1 mark with a 0.90 ERA allowing just nine hits and eight runs (two earned) in 20 innings of work. His teammates have failed him both offensively and defensively on the road. In his career against the Astros, Dempster’s 3-6 with a 6.00 ERA and 1.64 WHIP, but he hasn’t faced them since 2003 as a starter.

Facing him will be Houston’s Chris Sampson who’ll be looking to even up his 2-3 mark and lower his bloated 6.46 ERA in his ninth start of the season. Overall, Sampson has allowed 55 hits and 30 runs (28 earned) with a K/BB ratio of 18/9 in 39 innings of work. At home this season, he’s been lit up like a Christmas tree sporting an 0-2 mark with a 15.75 ERA. Four of his L/5 starts have come on the road, but he was smashed in his last two outings in Houston allowing a combined 15 hits and 11 earned runs to both the Brewers and Rockies. That said, he’s dominated this Chicago franchise the few times he’s seen them going 2-0 with a 0.96 ERA and 0.75 WHIP in three career starts. He allowed a total of 12 hits and two earned runs in 18 2/3rd innings of work in those starts.

The Cubs are 5-3 on the road as favorites between –100 and –125 this season, and they’re 5-1 in Dempster’s L/6 starts against the NL Central. Making the Cubs an even sweeter investment tonight is the fact the Houston is 1-5 in Sampson’s L/6 as a home underdog, and 1-5 the L/6 times they’ve squared off against the Cubs.

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