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posted May 5, 2008 at 15:42 in MLB Articles

BetUS MLB baseball online betting odds: Arizona -145, Philadelphia +125; Total 9.5 (Over -115, Under -105)

The Arizona Diamondbacks (21-10), who are sitting with the best record in the National League, play host to the Philadelphia Phillies (18-14), who are starting to make a move in the NL's Eastern Division, in a Monday night game that is slated to begin at 9:40 PM ET at Chase Field (natural turf) in Phoenix.

Left-hander Jamie Moyer (1-2, 4.50 ERA) gets the start for the Phils, while the Diamondbacks counter with right-hander Max Scherzer, who is making his first major league start for Arizona.

At BetUS Sportsbook, Arizona is listed as a -145 favorite (Philadelphia is +125), with a total of 9.5 runs (Over is -115, the Under is -105).

Here are some of the MLB Baseball betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

NOTE: These trends may also revert back to the 2007 season)

* PHIL has won 10 of its last 14 games

* PHIL has played three of its last five games UNDER the total

* PHIL has won five of its last seven road games

* PHIL has played five of its last seven road games OVER the total

* ARIZ has won 17 of its last 25 games

* ARIZ has won 12 of its last 17 home games

In the HEAD-TO-HEAD baseball betting trends:

* ARIZ has won five of the last six meetings

* Five of the last seven meetings have gone UNDER the total

* PHIL has won four of the last six meetings as the road team

* Four of the last six meetings in Phoenix have gone UNDER the total

Max Scherzer is a strange case, in a sense, in that he was drafted in the 43rd round by the cards in 2003 but decided to go to college instead. Apparently that was the right decision, because three years later, he was taken by the D-Backs with the 11th overall pick. A little over a year ago, he was pitching in Single-A ball, but here he is with the big club. And he came in with a bang just six days ago, retiring 13 consecutive hitters in his first appearance, setting a major league record for a relief pitcher making his debut.

The 45-year-old Jamie Moyer has 231 lifetime victories, and doesn't walk a lot of guys. He has shown rather remarkable consistency in that he has thrown between 61% and 63% strikes for 13 consecutive seasons, but his 1.75 WHIP ratio is on pace to be his highest ever. Opponents are making their hits count, whacking him around for a .336 batting average and .526 slugging percentage.

The Diamondbacks are 8-3 against left-handed starters, with an on-base percentage of .379. First baseman Conor Jackson had been hitting .481 against lefties going to yesterday's game against Johan Santana and the Mets. And Arizona is second in the majors in runs scored. Philadelphia is hitting .251 as a team, and lead the majors in homers with 47. Yesterday they won a dramatic 6-5 game over the Giants, allowing them to come into this series on a high note. Last year's MVP, shortstop Jimmy Rollins, is eligible to be re-activated off the disabled list, but he will not join the team until Thursday. He has been limited to 12 games this year because of a sprained left ankle.

It's usually not our policy to go with pitchers making their starting debut, but under the circumstances, we feel the D-Backs can score enough runs against Moyer, and have a solid enough bullpen (in fact, best in the big leagues with a 2.41 ERA) to make this worthwhile. So we're going to lay the price with Arizona, the -145 favorite in the BetUS Major League Baseball betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: ARIZONA (-145)

Go to the BetUS sportsbook today and take a swing at Major League Baseball online betting. We have the most current baseball odds and lines, as well as player, game and series props throughout the MLB baseball season. To help you bet on sports, check out the Free Picks section of the Locker Room for sports betting free picks and predictions. Join BetUS to experience the best in online sports betting action!

(Charles Jay of http://www.eBookies.com touches all the bases as a regular contributor to the BetUS Locker Room)