MLB Game Preview for July 31, 2010: Oakland Athletics @ Chicago White Sox

A betting expert is not surprised when Roy Halladay pitches a no-hitter, as he has done this season. Halladay is a Cy Young winner and recognized as one of the best pitchers in baseball. However, when a pitcher like the Oakland A's Dallas Braden throws a no-hitter, all kinds of red flags go up. It is like teams betting on NFL quarterbacks that have one good season. Do we expect a Matt Cassell to be a star quarterback after one good season in New England? The Kansas City Chiefs certainly hope so.

The Oakland A's are slowly drifting away from the Texas Rangers for the AL West pennant, and they are drifting even further away from the AL wild card berth. As NCAA football betting gets started, the A's need to start winning a lot and now if they want to have any prayer of making the playoffs.

The Chicago White Sox are in a dog fight with the Minnesota Twins for the AL Central pennant. The MLB betting community expected Minnesota to be fighting it out with the Detroit Tigers, but pitching problems in Detroit have caused the Tigers to fade from view.

This game between the A's and the White Sox is incredibly important for both teams. The White Sox have a four game winning streak going, but those pesky Twins have won five in a row. With a lead of only one and half games, the White Sox must continue to win games if they want to hold on to their lead in the AL Central.

The A's are 6-4 in their last 10 games, and while that is above .500 it is not nearly enough to catch the Texas Rangers who lead the A's by eight and a half games in the AL West. The Rangers keep putting distance between themselves and the A's by winning seven of their last 10.

The A's put no-hitter surprise Dallas Braden on the mound for this game. Ever since his no-hitter, Braden's game has crumbled. His record is 5-7 and he is struggling to maintain a respectable ERA but sits at 3.77. Braden went nine consecutive starts without a win since his perfect game, and he finally won in his most recent start to put his record at five wins.

The White Sox are sending John Danks to the mound with his 11-7 record and 3.23 ERA. Danks has been a jewel in the starting rotation for the White Sox as he has displayed excellent control, and has the staying power to be in the game up until the seventh inning.

This is a game of two teams going in opposite directions. The White Sox need this game just as much as the A's but the difference is that the White Sox are playing like they need to win games and the A's are not. The White Sox are hitting the ball better than they have all season, and Dallas Braden is not exemplified by his no-hitter.

Pick: Chicago White Sox 3-1