Platooning

There's probably a word to describe it, but every so often you hear a term, or about something of which you were previously unaware, and then within days, you come across the same thing from again another source.

A few days ago, I was reading a book about baseball, and it mentioned the idea of platooning. I'd not heard the term before, although I was familiar with the idea behind it so perhaps I had and it simply hadn't registered, but the definition is "to use alternate players at the same position".

In the context I was reading, the discussion was on whether teams should lead off with a right-handed batter if the opposing pitcher was a left-hander, and vice-versa, and then in my mailbox today, I am recommended a web site on the NFL (together with a very nice compliment on the blog, which is much appreciated) and I stumble across an article discussing the merits of platooning quarterbacks in certain situations. Spooky, and with Halloween approaching too...

The web site has a lot of good content, so thanks for that.

Anyway, today's football wasn't great. Football Elite's recommended bet on Mainz 05 v Hamburg was a 0-1 loser, although laying the odds-on favourites in England was a winner with Manchester United, Newcastle United and Chelsea all failing to win. I had layed Man U at 1.3 pre-game, and over a quarter of a million was traded at sub 1.03 after United went 2-0 up against West Bromwich Albion. Only Arsenal spoiled the Grand Slam and they had to come from behind assisted by a generous penalty.

No joy with the same strategy in Germany this weekend, and the ROI since I started now stands at 19.55%. In the EPL, it is an incredible 63.31% right now. For the record, France is 8.7%, Italy 33.21% and just Spain showing a loss, at -11.45%.

Plenty of draws in the EPL, but not at Craven Cottage unfortunately. The intra-group matches went 2 out of 2 though. Of the 13 soft draws, 11 matches are tomorrow. The two already in the books are Bolton v Stoke and last night's Koln v Borussia Dortmund game, so we're due a winner! (That IS how betting works, isn't it?) In the top leagues, the strong draw strike rate is 35.6%.

I was bitten by tipping unders on the baseball last weekend, but not being too shy, I'm putting another one out there on the San Francisco Giants @ Philadelphia Philles game. One pitcher (the Phillies' Roy Halladay) is coming off a no-hitter, and the Giants' Tim Lincecum is coming off a two-hit shutout. The line on BETDAQ is 6 at 1.89, while Betfair have the Under 6.5 at around 1.74. One note of caution is that Halladay gave up 10 hits and five runs in seven innings against the Giants back in April. There's no such thing as a dead-cert in baseball, but there are statistics. Lots of them!