posted July 1, 2008 at 15:34 in MLB Articles
MLB Baseball Betting Odds - Boston at Tampa Bay
BetUS MLB Betting Odds: Tampa Bay -120, Boston - Even; Total 8.5
Two of the teams who might be battling for the American League East title right up to the end will tangle in the Sunshine State on Tuesday night, as the Tampa Bay Rays (50-32) play host to the Boston Red Sox (50-35) in American League action that is set to get underway at 7:10 PM ET at Tropicana Field (artificial turf) in St. Petersburg.
Right-handers will take the hill, as Tim Wakefield (5-5, 3.88 ERA) goes up against Matt Garza of the Rays (6-4, 3.77 ERA).
At BetUS online sportsbook, Tampa Bay is listed as a -120 sports betting favorite (Boston is even money), with a total of 8.5 runs (the Under is -115, while the Over is -105).
Here are some of the MLB Baseball betting trends as they relate to this MLB gambling matchup:
* BOS has played six of its last eight games UNDER the total
* TB has won six of its last seven games
* TB has won 10 of its last 13 home games
* TB has played ten of its last 15 home games UNDER the total
In the HEAD-TO-HEAD sports betting trends:
* BOS has won six of the last seven meetings
* Five of the last seven meetings have gone OVER the total
* TB has won the last five meetings as the home team
* Four of the last five meetings in St. Pete have gone UNDER the total
Tampa Bay beat Boston last night by a 5-4 count, getting off to a pretty good start when B.J. Upton hit a homer on Justin Masterson's first pitch. With that win, the Rays are now a game and a half ahead of the Red Sox, in first place in the American League East (three games ahead in the loss column).
There's also some controversy swirling around Boston's clubhouse, as Manny Ramirez had an altercation with, and knocked down, the team's 64-year-old traveling secretary. But the Red Sox have not yet done anything about it.
What's interesting in this online wagering matchup is that Tampa Bay has won the last five meetings that have been held at Tropicana Field, but tonight's Red Sox pitcher has had quite a bit of success under the dome in St. Petersburg. Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield has a 19-3 lifetime record against the Rays, and is 9-1 with a 2.52 ERA at the Trop. To complicate things a little more, however, Wakefield has been hit pretty good in his last three starts against this insurgent club, which have taken place since last September. In those games, he is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA.
Matt Garza has been absolutely brilliant in two of his last three starts. On June 14 he held Florida to a run on three hits in seven innings; then, after a loss to Houston in which he struck out eight and yielded three runs in six frames, he came back five days ago, against the Marlins again, and pitched a complete-game one-hitter in which he walked just one and fanned ten. Garza is starting to fulfill the promise that made Tampa Bay trade with Minnesota for him in the first place.
Trends indicate, but so does logic - we're looking UNDER the 8.5-run total as it is posted in the BetUS Major League Baseball betting odds.
JAY'S PLAY: UNDER 8.5 (-115)
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)
