Posted on
5/6/2008 4:47:13 PM
MLB Baseball Betting – Surprising Royals Host Streaking Angels
By Eric Williams
While the Los Angeles Angels, (21013, 14-16-4 O/U) winners of the AL West in 2007, were expected to be a powerful team once again in 2008, the previously, lowly Kansas City Royals, (14-17, 10-21 O/U) are in the midst of changing their franchise’s collective mindset – and are succeeding in a big way, just three games under .500 in the BetUS Sportsbook heading into tonight’s matchup after losing to the Angels 4-0 on Monday.
The Angels, who has succeeded without their best pitchers, John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar, will send out promising rookie hurler Nick Adenhart, (0-0, 22.50 ERA) looking to stretch their winning streak in his second career major league start.
However, the Angels will need a much better performance than the one the youngster tossed in his last outing as the 21-year-old lasted just two innings against the Oakland A’s on Thursday, allowing five runs on three hits and five walks.
"I let down the team first," said Adenhart, who, in his defense, was pitching on three days' rest after being called up from Triple-A Salt Lake and idiotically thrown to the wolves by manager Mike Scioscia. "You always want to go out and prove yourself to your teammates and your manager and your coaches. I was a disappointment to myself also."
The Royals will counter with one of my favorite young pitchers in all of baseball in young right-hander Brian Bannister, (3-3, 4.04) who is looking to avoid his fourth straight loss after starting the season 3-0. Bannister was rocked in his last start, allowing seven runs on seven hits - including three home runs - in three innings as the Royals fell to the Texas Rangers 11-9 on Wednesday in windy conditions.
"I'm not a home-run pitcher. I never have been. The way the fastball cuts, it's never generated a lot of home runs," Bannister, who had allowed only one homer in his previous five starts, told the Royals' official Web site. "On a night like tonight, all the odds were stacked against me. The ball was coming off their bats like a Super Ball."
Here is a look at tonight’s key trends, followed by my analysis and MLB Betting Free Picks:
The Angels are 4-0 in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a home winning percentage of less than .400.
The Angels are 5-1 in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a losing record.
The Royals are 5-0 in Bannister’s last 5 Tuesday starts.
The Royals are 6-1 in Bannister’s last 7 starts after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
The Under is 5-0-1 in Angels last 6 vs. American League Central.
The Under is 4-0 in Royals last 4 games as a home favorite of -110 to -150.
The Under is 8-1 in the last 9 meetings in Kansas City.
The Under is 19-7 in the last 26 meetings.
The Angels are 19-7 in the last 26 meetings in Kansas City.
Analysis: This matchup is a really tough selection as the Angels are clearly the better team in this matchup, but Bannister the better and slightly more experienced starter of the two. If the Royals can touch up L.A.’s young starter, Nick Adenhart, I like Bannister to hold them down just long enough for the Royals to win this game.
MLB Free Picks: Royals 5 Angels 4
08:10 PM EST MLB Odds
Los Angeles Angels
Nick Adenhart - R +1½ -175
Kansas City Royals
Brian Bannister - R -1½ +155
Over 9 -105
Under 9 -115
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