San Francisco is at 12-1 to repeat as World Series champions in baseball Odds.

The Giants rely heavily on a solid pitching staff. The Giants were one of just two teams in Major League Baseball that surrendered fewer than 600 runs on the season. They allowed 583 runs, second only to the San Diego Padres who allowed 581 runs.

The Giants rode their pitching staff through the playoffs and were World Series Champions. They are led by Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, two young pitchers that have as much potential as any duo in the league. Lincecum is already a Cy Young Award winner and has a bright future ahead of him. He finished the season particularly well and should be able to reestablish himself as one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball.

The concern for the Giants will come at the plate. The Giants do not have any outstanding hitters and it is difficult to see where their runs will come from during the regular season. While their pitching staff still has the potential to carry them through stretches, they will need to find a way to manufacture runs if they hope to stay on top of the game.

If the Giants can solve some of their offensive problems they should be able to make another run towards the World Series this year.

The San Francisco Giants are one of the favorites in baseball picks this season.

After leading the NL West division for most of the season the San Diego Padres now trail the San Francisco Giants by 2 games. At the beginning of the week it looked like the Colorado Rockies still had a chance to win the division, but they were eliminated last night with their loss and the Giants’ win, making the division race officially a two team race.

Even with the Padres trailing the Giants by 2 games in the division standings they do not have to win this weekend series to make the playoffs. The Padres are still alive in the wild card race with the Atlanta Braves as well.

Currently the Padres trail the Braves by 1.5 games in the wild card standings, so there are two possible ways for the Padres to make the playoffs. The Braves will face the Phillies this weekend, which could be a good thing for San Diego as the Phillies will try their hardest to keep the Braves from making the playoffs.

The tentative pitching match ups look to be outstanding for this weekend’s series between the Padres and Giants. While these pitching match ups could change as both managers will use every pitcher possible to ensure a series win, here are the scheduled starters for this weekend:

Friday – Richard vs Zito
Saturday – Stauffer vs Cain
Sunday – Latos vs Sanchez

The Padres (58-39) lead the third-place Dodgers (53-46) by six games. On Sunday, defeating New York 1-0, the Dodgers come in on a badly needed hot streak. Chad Billingsley will try to get off to a strong start by continuing his success against the Padres. After Clayton Kershaw scattered seven hits in eight innings Sunday, Billingsley (8-5, 4.22 ERA) will try to turn in another superb effort. Tossing a five-hitter in a 2-0 win over the Giants, Billingsley had his own terrific outing Wednesday. That came after he struggled with a 1/3 record and 5.91 ERA through seven starts.

In the NL, the Padres own the best record and since 1998, they are 19 games above .500 for the first time. Against the Dodgers, Adrian Gonzalez, in his last six home games is 1 for 18 with a solo homer. Defeating Pittsburgh 6-3 on Sunday, San Diego has won eight of 10 to sweep the three-game set as it heads into this key series against a division rival.

Jon Garland (9-6, 3.61), who is 5-1 with a 2.51 ERA in 10 home starts, will be given the ball by Bud Black. Yielding four runs in five innings of a 6-4, 12-inning win over Atlanta, and the right-hander was not nearly as sharp on the road Wednesday. This season, in two starts against the Dodgers, he is 1-0 with a 4.91 ERA.

Mat Latos injury was as unexpected as his quick success. He was the midst of an outstanding run. Latos (10-4, 2.45 ERA) is responsible to put San Diego (56-39) into first place in the NL West by strong pitching. Last year, Latos had 10 inconsistent starts. He has become one of the majors’ top young pitchers. In 106 2/3 innings, the 22-year-old right-hander has struck out 99. Before a strained left oblique landed him on the 15-day DL, Latos was 5-0 with a 1.12 ERA in six starts.

On Friday night, the Pirates were beaten 5-3 in the opener of this three-game set, San Diego got yet another effective effort from its pitchers. Adrian Gonzalez, Padres first baseman is 1 for 13 over his past four contests. In his last 17 games against Pittsburgh (34-62), he has 19 RBIs. At Pittsburgh, the Padres have won 22 of their last 31 games.

Jeff Karstens (2-5, 4.84) will now get the ball from Pittsburgh. In his past three outings, he is 0-2 with a 6.35 ERA. This is his first start against the Padres. Surrendering five runs in 2 1/3 innings, he has faced them twice in relief. After scoring five runs over their last two games, the Pirates’ lineup will try to give him some support.

Following a 16-for-27 (.593) stretch, Pittsburgh rookie Neil Walker went 0 for 3. He entered this series batting .400 in 21 home games.

For the first time in seven years, Adam Dunn has helped put the Washington Nationals in position to sweep San Diego. In Washington’s 7-6 win over San Diego Wednesday, Dunn hit a career-high three home runs. With each of their last four victories decided by one run, the Nationals (38-47) have won five of eight.

The Nationals look to sweep San Diego for the first time since May 6-8, 2003, when the franchise was in Montreal, after securing their second winning series in 12 tries against the Padres (49-35) since moving to Washington in 2005. In the three-year history of Nationals Park, Dunn made that possible after driving in five runs and recording the first three-homer game.

In 10 straight seasons, the veteran slugger, who continues to be the subject of trade rumors, has hit at least 20 home runs. Against San Diego pitchers, Dunn is 8 for 19 this season. While the Padres won three in a row against Houston, the San Diego pitchers have allowed 13 runs in the first two games of the set after yielding two total making for a very interesting baseball bet.

With San Diego’s Mat Latos (9-4, 2.62 ERA) trying for a fifth consecutive victory Thursday, Dunn and the Nationals could be in for a challenge. With a 1.35 ERA in his last five starts after giving up four hits in eight innings of a 3-0 win over Houston on Friday, the second-year right-hander improved to 4-0. With a 1.62 ERA, Latos is 8-1, in his last 11 starts.

Latos allowed two runs and struck out eight in six innings of a 4-2 home win over Washington on May 29 and he is 2-0 with a 3.09 ERA against the Nationals. For the Padres, Adrian Gonzalez had four hits with two RBIs and Matt Stairs tied a major league record with his 20th career pinch-hit homer Wednesday. In this series, Gonzalez is 6 for 9 with a homer and three RBIs.

Houston Astros had a successful end to June. They finished 14-14 in June, leaving the Astros excited about facing the team with the NL’s best record. By losing two of three at AL West-leading Texas, Houston opened its trip before winning its first road series in three weeks at Milwaukee. In early May, the Padres took two of three at Houston.

In Wednesday’s 5-1 win over the Brewers, Houston’s Geoff Blum had two hits. For the Astros, Chris Johnson had four hits and drove in two runs Wednesday. He has won five of eight. With six RBIs in seven games and being recalled from Triple-A Round Rock, the third baseman is 12 for 29.

Against San Diego’s Jon Garland (8-5, 3.13 ERA), Houston could be in for a test. Over the Astros, Garland looks for a fourth straight win. Versus the Astros, he is 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA in six starts but has seven hits in 14 scoreless innings in the last two. On May 8, in seven innings of a 2-1 win at Houston, Garland gave up two hits. On Saturday, in a 2-1 win at Florida, Garland earned his second straight consecutive victory after he yielded a run in 6 2/3 innings.

As San Diego avoided being swept with a 13-3 win over Colorado, for the second time in three games Wednesday, Scott Hairston drove in four runs. The Padres have scored at least 13 on three occasions this season. In their previous two games, they totaled nine runs.

Against the Rockies, Adrian Gonzalez was 1 for 13. At Houston in May, he went for 1 for 9. In six starts since joining the rotation in late May, Moehler is 1/3 with a 6.37 ERA. In five starts against San Diego, he is 2-1 with a 3.16 ERA.

For the Florida Marlins, the uncertainty surrounding their managerial situation could be a distraction. To the mound, if they send Josh Johnson then it might help forget about that for the time being. While looking to help the Marlins avoid a third consecutive loss, the right-hander tries for a fourth straight victory and even their series with the NL West-leading San Diego Padres on Saturday night.

After a 3-0 loss to San Diego on Friday, Florida (35-38) fell to 1-2 under interim manager Edwin Rodriguez. Veteran manager Bobby Valentine will permanently replace the recently fired Fredi Gonzalez. Bo Porter, former Marlins and current Arizona third base coach appears to be a candidate for the job too.

Johnson (8-2, 1.80 ERA) has struck out 51 batters in 57 innings while going 5-1 in his last eight starts and he has allowed four earned runs among the major league leaders in ERA. In a 4-1 win over Tampa Bay on Sunday, Johnson gave up a run and struck out nine. Versus San Diego, Johnson has been very good, going 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA in two starts. Over the Padres on April 26, he tossed a three-hitter and struck out 12 in a 10-1 home victory.

To make matters tough on Johnson, the Padres (43-30) are playing well enough this time. Against the Marlins, Headley is batting .319 lifetime, although he is 0 for 4 versus Johnson. Of a 9-4 win over Baltimore on Sunday, of a 9-4 win over Baltimore on Sunday, to snap a personal three-game skid. Make sure to check the latest baseball betting odds at your favorite sportsbook site.

Against the Philadelphia Phillies, Jon Garland might have a hard time, even if Phillies’ offense still slumping. For the first time Saturday night, Garland looks to defeat Philadelphia, when the NL West-leading San Diego Padres try to snap a six-game skid to the Phillies.

Garland (6-2, 2.15 ERA), who is 6-0 with a 1.58 ERA in his last nine outings has been the big reason for San Diego’s surprising start. Against the Phillies, the right-hander, though, is 0-3 with an 8.02 ERA in four starts. He went 0-2 with a 6.35 ERA in two last year with Arizona. For Philadelphia, it is their third baseman Placido Polanco, who is 14 for 37 against him. In Garland’s last nine outings with a 3-2, the Padres (32-22) improved to 8-1. Against Washington on Sunday, he allowed two runs over seven innings, both on homers. His streak of eight straight starts without yielding one came to an end.

With a 3-2 victory Friday, the Phillies halted a four-game losing streak. In seven innings, Roy Halladay struck out seven. Bases-loaded walk in the fifth, Shane Victorino homered and scored the go-ahead run on Jayson Werth’s two-out. Without scoring more than three runs, Philadelphia has gone 12 straight games. The Phillies are hitting .197 in that span and had six hits.

“I feel really good right now, that was the situation I was hoping to have. It was nice to get a save against some real good hitters. We need to win the close games, too “, said Brad Lidge.

Over San Diego, Philadelphia has won six in a row since Lidge blew a save in an 8-5 home loss April 18, 2009. For the first time since May 7-25, 2009, Phillies starter Jamie Moyer (5-5, 4.26) will try to avoid losing four straight starts. Posting a 3.50 ERA, Moyer hasn’t pitched too badly. On Sunday, at Florida, he allowed one run over six innings in a 1-0 loss. In two starts against the Padres at Citizens Bank Park, Moyer is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA.

“He had a little lull there for a little while, but it’s no secret he’s our guy, one thing about Adrian, he’s always in control. In addition, when things are not going right, he knows it is just a matter of time before it does. We look for him to get those big knocks and get some runs on the board. He did a great job of that tonight, and he’s going to continue to do it”, said Venable.

In five innings, the right-hander, Jon Garland allowed four runs and nine hits and has 5-0 with a 1.67 ERA over his last six starts. Without major league batting leader Andre Ethier absent, Dodgers are felt his need in the game.

To get four hits in a game, Venable became the first San Diego Padres batter this season. He was 3-for-21 with one RBI and no extra-base hits in his previous 10 games. This season, he has been in the leadoff spot for the first time.

“Buddy’s put me there before, so it’s a spot that I’m comfortable with, Buddy called me into the office before the game and told me to just stick with the approach I’ve been taking. Luckily it worked out tonight, so I’ll see how it goes from here on out “, said Venable.

Into first place in the NL West, the San Diego Padres vaulted past the Giants, with a home sweep of San Francisco three weeks ago.

San Francisco hopes to reclaim the top spot as revenge, when the teams open a three-game set Tuesday night at AT&T Park. At Petco Park on April 19, The Giants (18-12) tied for the NL’s best record, two games ahead of the Padres. San Francisco departed in second place, after three straight losses and went 1 for 23 with runners in scoring position.

Zito is a big reason why, the Giants are in position to reclaim the top position on Tuesday although San Diego (19-12) still holds the top spot. He (5-0, 1.49 ERA) has won five straight decisions and is off to the best start of his career. Zito did allowed one run in 7 1/3 innings of a 2-1 loss to Los Angeles. To a .182 average, the left-hander has limited opponents and it is second-lowest in the league. With a 3-2 win over Florida, he yielded one run in seven innings.

San Diego’s Wade LeBlanc (2-0, 1.16) has had a great start to 2010. He came to replace Chris Young and has been one of the top pitchers. Last Tuesday, he gave up two runs in six innings of a 3-2 victory over Colorado. In 13 starts, LeBlanc entered this season with four wins where half of the victories came against the Giants. In those two wins, he posted a 1.29 ERA.

On Sunday, the Padres lost 4-3 to Houston in 11 innings. Adrian Gonzalez, in his last 10 games had one RBI and 5 for 33 with no extra-base hits. In a 6-5 win over New York on Sunday, Aaron Rowand hit a go-ahead, two-run homer. In the last six games, the center fielder batted .357 with three homers and 11 RBIs. Rowand, with a fractured cheekbone missed the San Diego series last month.