Posted on
4/29/2008 2:40:54 PM
MLB Baseball Betting - Toronto at Boston
By Charles Jay
BetUS MLB betting odds: Pick'em (-110 each way), Total 9.5 (Under -120, Over - Even)
The Boston Red Sox (15-12) will look to get some runs on the board on Tuesday night when they play host to another slumping team, the Toronto Blue Jays (11-15), in the start of a three-game set at Fenway Park in Boston. Game time is set for 7:05 PM ET.
Right-hander Roy Halladay (2-3, 3.73 ERA) will try to give Toronto a second straight win after a six-game losing streak, while lefty Jon Lester (1-2, 5.40 ERA) will try to capture Boston's first win six attempts as he takes the mound for the Red Sox.
At BetUS Sportsbook, the game is listed as a pick'em (-110 each way), with a total of 9.5 runs (the Under is -120, with the Over at even money).
Here are some of the MLB Baseball betting trends as they relate to this matchup:
(NOTE: These trends may also revert back to the 2007 season)
* TOR has lost six of its last seven games
* TOR has played seven of its last nine games UNDER the total
* TOR has lost five of its last six road games
* TOR has played seven of its last ten road games UNDER the total
* BOS has lost its last five games
* BOS has played four of its last five games UNDER the total
* BOS has won seven of its last nine home games
* BOS has played six of its last eight home games OVER the total
In the HEAD-TO-HEAD baseball betting trends:
* TOR has won the last seven meetings
* TOR has won seven of the last 11 meetings as the road team
* Six of the last eight meetings in Boston have gone OVER the total
These two teams are not doing very well. Boston could only muster a pair of hits against James Shields of Tampa Bay on Sunday, and has now managed just one run in its last two games. The Red Sox have lost five games in a row, and Tampa Bay has blown buy them in the American League East.
It's interesting about Toronto; even though Frank Thomas wasn't swinging a big bat (under .200), the Blue Jays have not put together very much on the offensive end since he was released. The Jays are currently on a string where they have scored just 21 runs in their last seven, and they were able to snap a six-game losing streak with the help of a homer and two RBI by former All-Star third baseman Scott Rolen on Sunday.
The Red Sox have scored 14 times in the current five-game losing streak. Maybe the expected return of David Ortiz will help. Jon Lester goes for them on Tuesday - he tossed 6-2/3 innings of three-hit ball against the Blue Jays last September 18. But he's given up four runs in four of his six outings, and in none of his starts has he finished the seventh inning.
Roy Halladay has been relatively consistent for Toronto - he's only walked six batters thus far and that has helped him get to a 1.15 WHIP ratio. And in only one inning has he allowed more than one run. So he will likely keep his club out of the big inning.
Technical trends are worth noting here too - Toronto has won the last seven times these teams have played, as well as seven of the last 11 in Fenway. We'll go with the better pitcher here, and the Blue Jays, at -110 in the BetUS Major League Baseball betting odds.
JAY'S PLAY: TORONTO (-110)
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(Charles Jay of http://www.eBookies.com touches all the bases as a regular contributor to the BetUS Locker Room)