Posted on 4/2/2008 3:25:26 PM

MLB Baseball Betting Picks- Toronto at N.Y. Yankees

By Charles Jay

BetUS MLB betting odds: N.Y. Yankees -160 (Toronto +140, Total 9 (Under -120, Over - even)

The Toronto Blue Jays (0-1) try to get their first win of the season on Wednesday night when they take on the New York Yankees (1-0) in American league action that gets underway at 7:05 PM ET at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

Right-handers A.J. Burnett of Toronto and Mike Mussina of New York will oppose each other in this one.

At BetUS Sportsbook, the Yankees are listed as a -160 favorite (Toronto is +140), with a total of nine runs (Under -120, Over - even money).

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

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

* TOR has played six of its last eight road games OVER the total

* NY has won nine of its last 12 home games

* NY has played eight of its last 12 home games OVER the total

In the HEAD-TO-HEAD baseball betting trends:

* NY has won 11 of the last 16 meetings

* NY has won six of the last nine meetings as the home team

* Twelve of the last 17 meetings in New York have gone UNDER the total

A.J. Burnett, who was considered a phenom at one time in the Mets' system before being dealt to Florida, but has often been plagued by injury, looked like he was just starting to become the pitcher everyone expected him to be when he posted his second straight 10-8 season in 2007. Burnett struck out 176 batters in 165-2/3 innings; he is not just potentially overpowering - he IS overpowering. But he has to stay healthy to really be a factor in Toronto getting involved in this division pennant race.

Mike Mussina opens the season with some doubts, after a 2007 season in which he registered a 5.15 ERA, which was a run and a half higher than the year before. At the age of 39, the Stanford grad may be headed down the other side, though he looked decent in his final spring training start against Florida. One thing in Mussina's favor, relative to this matchup, is that he's been very sharp in his last five outings against the Blue Jays, surrendering just nine earned runs in 31-2/3 innings.

We wonder whether Burnett's two outings against the Yankees last year doesn't trump that, though. He was scintillating, allowing just eight hits and one earned run in 15 innings, with 15 strikeouts.

That's enough for us to take shot with the dog here. We'll go with Burnett and the Blue Jays, the +140 underdog in the BetUS Major League Baseball betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: TORONTO

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)