Posted on
4/16/2008 7:45:33 PM
MLB Baseball Betting - Baltimore at Tampa Bay
By Charles Jay
BetUS MLB baseball betting odds: Tampa Bay -160 (Baltimore +140), Total 8.5
The Baltimore Orioles (6-3) look to continue their surprising start as they visit Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg (artificial turf) to play the Tampa Bay Rays (4-5) in an American League game that is set to begin at 7:10 PM ET.
Jeremy Guthrie (0-1, 5.11 ERA) gets the call for Baltimore, with James Shields (1-1, 3.00 ERA) takes the rock for the Rays, in a battle of righties who assumed the #1 spot in their respective rotations through unexpected circumstances.
At BetUS Sportsbook, Tampa Bay is listed as a -160 favorite (Baltimore is +140), with a total of 8.5 runs.
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)
* BALT has won six of its last eight games
* BALT has played its last five games UNDER the total
* BALT has lost seven of its last ten road games
* BALT has played seven of its last eight road games UNDER the total
* TB has lost four of its last five games
* TB ha splayed five of its last six games UNDER the total
* TB has lost four of its last five home games
In the HEAD-TO-HEAD baseball betting trends:
* TB has won six of the last eight meetings
* Five of the last six meetings have gone OVER the total
* The last five meetings in St. Pete have gone OVER the total
Kudos to the Orioles for their fast start. Baltimore has scored five ruins a game and strikes out less than anyone (just 4.8 per contest). Tjhey hit a bit of an offensive lull in Texas, scoring just five runs in dropping two straight games to leave Arlington without a smile on their faces.
Jeremy Guthrie, who took over as the #1 starter for the O's after the trade of Erik Bedard to Seattle, had a rocky first outing against these Rays, giving up nine hits and five runs in 5-1/3 innings, then came back against Seattle with a strong performance, yielding only two runs in seven innings. He didn;t get much support but won a 3-2 decision.
James Shields, who is Tampa Bay's #1 until Scott Kazmir comes back from inuury, has had two pretty good efforts, allowing two earned runs in each of his first two starts. And the pitcher who was the only righty in baseball with better than five times as many strikeouts (184) as walks (36) last year gave up just one walk and struck out five over five innings against the Yankees five days ago. That's more like it.
We're going to stick with Shields and the Rays, the -160 favorites in the BetUS Major League Baseball betting odds.
JAY'S PLAY: TAMPA BAY (-160)
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(Charles Jay of http://www.eBookies.com touches all the bases as a regular contributor to the BetUS Locker Room)