Posted on 3/31/2008 12:34:58 PM

MLB Baseball Betting Begins - Tampa Bay at Baltimore

By Charles Jay

BetUS MLB betting odds: Tampa Bay -130, Baltimore +110, Total 9 (-110 each way).

The newly-named, new-look Tampa Bay Rays (66-96 in 2007) hope to use Opening Day to take their first step toward climbing out of the AL East cellar, and that will take place at Oriole Park at Camden Yards (grass) against the Baltimore Orioles (69-93 in 2007) in a game that is slated to begin at 3:05 PM ET.

Right-handers will oppose each other, with James Shields of the Rays going up against Jeremy Guthrie of the O's.

At BetUS Sportsbook, Tampa Bay is listed as a -130 favorite (Baltimore is +110), with a total of nine runs (you will lay -110 either way).

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

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

* TB has lost four of its last five games

* TB has lost five of its last six road games

* TB has played four of its last five road games UNDER the total

* BALT has lost four of its last six games

* BALT has played its last six games OVER the total

* BALT has lost 18 of its last 23 home games

In the HEAD-TO-HEAD betting trends:

* TB has won five of the last six meetings

* BALT has won 17 of the last 25 meetings

* Seven of the last eight meetings have gone OVER the total

* BALT has won nine of the last 12 meetings as the home team

The Rays, under energetic owner Stuart Sternberg, have increased the payroll to around $40 million and added the likes of Cliff Floyd to the lineup. Scott Kazmir is on the 15-day disabled lost with elbow problems, and the left-hander, who led the AL in strikeouts last season, won't make his anticipated Opening Day start. But James Shields, who gets the assignment, was nothing short of outstanding as the '07 season wound down, compiling an .82 WHIP ratio in his last three starts (and 1.1 overall). Shields was also the only right-handed pitcher in the major leagues who had more then five times as many strikeouts (184) as walks (36). So he is clearly a star in the making.

Rocco Baldelli is out for the Rays right now, but Carl Crawford returns after a .315, 80-RBI, 50 stolen base season, as does Carlos Pena, who hit 46 homers last season.

Baltimore traded Erik Berard to Seattle, which elevated the promising Jeremy Guthrie to the #1 spot in the rotation. But the Orioles have a lot of questions to answer in the bullpen. At one point during the early part of the summer, Baltimore had leads in twenty consecutive games, but lost leads in ten of them. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay may have gotten itself a bargain with the acquisition of Troy Percival, who had a 1.80 ERA in St. Louis last year.

A home field edge for the Orioles? Hardly. Baltimore was 35-46 at Camden Yards last year, and lost 18 of its last 23 in "friendly" surroundings.

Let's go with Shields, a pitcher we have an awful lot of confidence in, and that means the Rays, the -130 favorite in the BetUS Major League Baseball betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: TAMPA BAY

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)