The California Golden Bears take on the Stanford Cardinal in the Pac-12 Baseball Tournament. Our college baseball odds series has our California Stanford prediction and pick. Find out how to watch California Stanford.
You probably know this, but it's important to make sure, just in case you don't: This is not a regular-season college baseball game. It's part of the Pac-12 Tournament, which is being held in Scottsdale, Arizona. Temperatures in Scottsdale are in the upper 90s, very close to 100 degrees. This game starts just after 7 p.m. in Scottsdale, so the temperature at first pitch — with the sun almost about to set — should be in the low-to-mid-90s. These two Bay Area teams do have to play in the state of Arizona, but earlier in the season when the temperatures aren't as high. It will be interesting to see how the Golden Bears and Cardinal adjust to the conditions.
Cal is the ninth-place team in the Pac-12 and the lowest seed at this Pac-12 Tournament. Wait a minute, you might wonder — why is the ninth-place team the lowest seed? The Pac-12 invites only nine teams. Washington State and Utah did not qualify, and Colorado does not have an NCAA Division I baseball program.
The Pac-12 does things differently from other conferences. The Pac-12 Baseball Tournament involves pool play. This is Pool A, with Oregon being the other team in the three-team pool. Oregon beat Cal, 3-2, on Tuesday. Stanford will play Oregon on Thursday regardless of the result of this game on Wednesday night. Cal must win this game to have any chance of advancing from Pool A into the semifinals on Friday. The winners of the three pools plus one wild card team advance to Friday's semis.
Stanford is the No. 1 seed at this tournament and the regular-season Pac-12 baseball champion for 2023.
Here are the California-Stanford College Baseball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Baseball Odds: California-Stanford Odds
California Golden Bears: +1.5 (+100)
Stanford Cardinal: -1.5 (-130)
Money Line:
California: +146
Stanford: -188
How To Watch California vs. Stanford
TV: Pac-12 Network
Stream: Pac-12 Now
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT
*Watch California-Stanford LIVE on fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why California Could Cover The Spread
The Golden Bears pitched well on Tuesday against Oregon, limiting the Ducks to only three runs. Two of those runs scored because of an error by the Cal shortstop, so in essence, Oregon derived most of its offensive production from a Cal mistake. If the Golden Bears continue to get good pitching, they can win.
You might think that since Cal is the lowest seed at this tournament and Stanford is the top seed, this game should be a wipeout. Maybe, but we have seen some No. 1 seeds at conference tournaments lose their opening games to much lower-seeded teams. East Carolina lost to South Florida in its first game at the AAC Tournament. Texas lost to Kansas in its first game at the Big 12 Tournament. The upset bug is spreading, and Cal could give it to Stanford.
Why Stanford Could Cover The Spread
The Stanford Cardinal have the best team in the Pac-12, and a program which has been historically successful. Stanford expects excellence. Cal has floundered for most of the season, and an error on a routine ground ball in the bottom of the eighth inning against Oregon on Tuesday night in a 3-2 loss showed why the Golden Bears simply aren't a very good team this year. Stanford is great, Cal is below-average. Do we really need to explain anything more?
If anything, it's only this: Stanford did not play on Tuesday and therefore has a more rested bullpen, just in case this game remains close in the later innings. The Cardinal really should be able to bring the hammer to Cal in this game.
Final California-Stanford Prediction & Pick
The difference in quality and talent between the two teams is enormous. Take Stanford.
Final California-Stanford Prediction & Pick: Stanford -1.5
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