Up to MLB Articles

posted July 10, 2008 at 17:33 in MLB Articles

BetUS MLB Betting Odds: Cleveland -120, Tampa Bay - Even, Total 8.5

Two teams trying to break out of losing streaks meet up tonight in the Buckeye State, as the Tampa Bay Rays (55-35), leaders in the American League East, take on the Cleveland Indians (37-53), who trail the pack in the AL Central. Game time is 7:05 PM ET for this AL encounter at Progressive Field in Cleveland.

Right-hander Andy Sonnanstine (10-3, 4.31 ERA), one of Tampa Bay's bright young pitching stars, gets the call for the Rays, while Aaron Laffey (4-5, 3.49 ERA), a left-hander, receives the assignment for Cleveland.

At BetUS online sportsbook, Cleveland is listed as a -120 favorite (Tampa Bay is even money), with a total of 8.5 runs (-110 each way).

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

* TB has won 11 of its last 15 games

* TB has lost its last three games

* CLEV has lost its last 10 games

* CLEV has lost four of its last six home games

* CLEV has played five of its last six home games UNDER the total

In the HEAD-TO-HEAD sports betting trends:

* CLEV has won seven of the last eight meetings

* Four of the last five meetings have gone UNDER the total

* CLEV has won the last five meetings as the home team

* Eight of the last ten meetings in Cleveland have gone UNDER the total

Tampa Bay is 55-35, which is two games ahead of the Boston Red Sox by virtue of the fact that they are four games ahead of Boston in the loss column. Cleveland, which won the AL Central division last year, is 16 games behind, and has given up on the season, as evidenced by its trade of C.C. Sabathia to the Milwaukee Brewers earlier this week.

The Indians have now lost 10 consecutive games; last night's disappointment was an 8-6 defeat suffered in Detroit, when Miguel Cabrera hit a walk-off home run. The Rays have lost three straight; They were outscored 7-1 in losing a pair of games to the Yankees this week.

Aaron Laffey is one of those guys who generally hasn't pitched well enough to win. And he has never gotten over the shock of going three straight starts (21 innings) without surrendering a run early in the year. He has given up nine runs in ten innings in his last two starts; the last one was particularly unimpressive, as he yielded five hits and four walks in five innings against Minnesota in a 9-6 Indians loss. Even when he has pitched well his team has not scored for him.

Andy Sonnanstine's ERA may be high, but he has demonstrated as the season has progressed that he is a pitcher on the rise. Never mind the 10-3 record that is one of the best in the American League. He has become more difficult to hit in his last six outings, with a 2.89 ERA. And Tampa Bay has won seven straight times when he has been on the mound.

We appreciate that the Rays are going through a hard time right now, and that they are dealing with injuries, particularly to closer Troy Percival. But there is no way we would lay a price with a team that has lost ten consecutive contests and is going nowhere. And Tampa Bay is a solid 15-9 against southpaw starters. Let's go with the underdog Rays, at even money in the BetUS Major League Baseball betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: TAMPA BAY (Even)

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)