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posted June 10, 2008 at 18:15 in MLB Articles

BetUS MLB betting odds: L.A. Angels -155, Tampa Bay +135; Total 8

The Tampa Bay Rays (38-26) put a whipping on the Los Angeles Angels (39-26) in yesterday's sports betting action, and on Tuesday night they will try to have the same kind of offensive success, when these two American League contenders lock horns in a baseball betting contest that is set to get underway at 10:05 PM ET at Angel Stadium (natural turf) in Anaheim.

It's a battle of right-handers, as James Shields (4-4, 3.64 ERA) of the Rays goes against Jared Weaver (5-6, 4.79 ERA) of the Angels.

At BetUS online sportsbook, Los Angeles is listed as a -155 favorite (Tampa Bay is +135), with a total of eight runs (the Under is -120, while the Over is even money).

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

* TB has played nine of its last 12 games UNDER the total

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

* L:A has won seven of its last nine games

* LA has played four of its last six games OVER the total

* LA has played 18 of its last 25 games UNDER the total

* LA has played 10 of its last 13 home games UNDER the total

In the HEAD-TO-HEAD MLB betting trends:

* TB has won four of the last five meetings

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

* LA has won eight of the last nine meetings as the home team

* Eleven of the last 14 meetings in Anaheim have gone OVER the total

You could say these are two of the best teams in the majors at playing "small ball," as the Rays lead the majors in stolen bases, while the Angels ranks seventh. Tampa Bay recently went through a tough experience in being swept by the Red Sox, but the team remains just a game in back of Boston in the American League East, while the Angels have a four-game lead over the Oakland A's in the AL West.

Tampa Bay got the better of things on Monday night, riding two home runs by Evan Longoria to beat up on Joe Saunders and the Angels by a 13-4 score. That was Tampa Bay's fourth win in the last five encounters between these two, and only Oakland has scored more in one game against the L.A./Anaheim contingent this season.

James Shields wants to repeat the kind of magic he displayed on May 9 when he threw a one-hit complete game shutout over the Angels at Tropicana Field. In that game, only one member of manager Mike Scioscia's team reached base. But Shields had an unpleasant experience last time he took the mound, as the Red Sox scored four runs in one inning en route to a 7-1 victory.

Jered Weaver has been inconsistent at best. The right-hander threw 15 shutout innings against the White Sox in an eleven-day period, then has followed those starts with two very choppy efforts, in which he has yielded ten runs and 20 hits in ten innings. He's not in good form.

Tampa Bay has a 15-16 record as the underdog, but this has been a resilient crew, which could have folded a few times this season but has stayed near the top of the AL East virtually the entire year. They should stay there as long as they can get solid efforts - at least most of the time - from people like Shields.

Frankly, we like Shields and the Rays a lot at this price. Go with the Tampa Bay Rays at +135 in the BetUS Major League Baseball betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: TAMPA BAY (+135)

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)