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First Meets Worst As Cubs Battle Reds, only 21.5 games separate the National League Central leading Chicago Cubs and the dead last Cincinnati Reds. On Tuesday, the Reds will visit as they try to make the most of whatever is left of their irrelevant season. MLB oddsmakers at Betonline.com currently have the Chicago Cubs as the -.5 -175 favorites heading into this MLBmatchup. The Reds are just 5-17 in their last 22 games and have looked disinterested in some of their recent contests. Many pundits believe that trading Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn has in a sense made the season a write off, but it's not like they were competing for a playoff spot beforehand.  Johnny Cueto will start for them on Tuesday and at times, he's been one of the bright spots. He's among the league leaders in strikeouts and has whiffed 136 batters in 145 innings pitched. Cueto is having his best month of the season since June so far and has given up just seven earned runs in his three August starts (3.94 ERA). His main problem this season has been giving up too many home runs. His 1.39 WHIP is decent and he's given up only 149 hits in 145 innings pitched this year, but he's allowed 26 home runs, which is tied for the third-most in the major. When you combine the fact that Cueto has some control problems and walks 3.3 batters per nine innings, the home runs allowed become a real problem. Cueto is 1-1 against the Cubs this season allowing seven earned runs in 12.2 innings pitched. He'll face Rich Harden, who has been stellar for the Cubs since coming over from Oakland. Harden is 7-2 with a 2.17 ERA on the season and is 2-1 with the Cubs. Harden has had only one bad outing with the Cubs in which he allowed four earned runs in 5.2 innings pitched but outside of that, Harden has given up just three earned runs in 28 innings pitched. The Cubs have won his last three starts. For more props and odds, visit BetOnline.com. BetOnline.com is a top rated online sportsbook providing reliable sports betting to millions of online betting customers. BetOnline.com also offers MLB football betting, live MLB betting lines, props and futures.
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