posted May 23, 2008 at 15:05 in MLB Betting Trends
MLB Baseball Betting – Carmona, Indians, to Cool Off Hamilton, Rangers
The Texas Rangers, (24-25, 25-24 RL) completed their four-game baseball betting series with the Minnesota Twins by taking the final two games of the series, including a thrilling 8-7 extra-innings win in Thursday nights sports betting spectacle that was capped off by right fielder Josh Hamilton’s two-run home run in the top of the tenth.
While the Rangers are feeling pretty good about themselves these days, the same can’t be said for the Cleveland Indians, (22-25, 22-25 RL) who have dropped six consecutive online betting games in getting swept first, by the mediocre Cincinnati Reds and then the Chicago White Sox, who finished off their three-game set with Cleveland by beating the Indians 3-1.
While Hamilton is tearing up American League pitching this season to the tune of a .335 batting average and AL-leading 12 home runs, the Indians have struggled immensely lately, scoring a microscopic four runs in getting swept by the White Sox and collecting just two hits in the series finale.
"Offensively, this stuff is contagious," Indians third baseman Casey Blake said. "It goes both ways. It seems like there's a lot of negative energy around."
Hamilton leads all of baseball with 53 RBIs and set a new American League record for being the fastest player ever to reach 50 RBIs.
"He's got tremendous talent, got unbelievable pop and he can run like the wind," teammate Gerald Laird said. "He's just got it all. ... All you can do is sit back and say, 'Wow!'"
The Rangers will tryo to pick up their third consecutive win by handing the ball to young left-hander Kason Gabbard (1-1, 3.12) who is looking for his first win since April 4.
While Texas has gone a solid 5-2 in Gabbard’s starts this season, he did allow a season-high five runs on nine hits in five innings as the Rangers fell to the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Cleveland will counter by going with Fausto Carmona (4-1, 2.25 ERA) to end their losing ways in this contest.
Carmona has been efficient in each of his last two outings and limited the Cincinnati Red to just one run on four hits in 7 1/3 innings last Saturday although the Indians went on to lose 4-2.
The Indians haven't lost seven straight games since dropping nine straight in 2004.
Here is a look at tonight’s key trends followed by my MLB Betting Picks.
The Rangers are 6-1 in Gabbard’s last seven starts vs. a team with a losing record.
The Rangers are 4-1 in Gabbard’s last five starts as an underdog.
The Indians are 8-1 in Carmona’s last nine starts as a favorite of -151 to -200.
The Indians are 7-1 in Carmona’s last eight home starts with the total set at 7.0-8.5.
The Over is 5-0 in Gabbard’s last five starts following a team loss in their previous game.
The Under is 4-0 in Carmona’s last four starts with five days of rest.
The Over is 7-2 in the last nine meetings in Cleveland.
The Rangers are 3-8 in the last eleven meetings.
Analysis: While the Rangers are playing solid baseball led by the supremely gifted Josh Hamilton, I’m going with the Indians to win this game behind a stellar performance from Fausto Carmona while ending their six-game losing streak.
MLB Free Picks: Indians 6 Rangers 3
07:05 PM EST MLB Odds
Kason Gabbard - L +1½ -140
Fausto Carmona - R -1½ +120
Over 8½ -115
Under 8½ -105
MLB@ American League
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