Posted on 4/24/2008 4:41:07 PM

MLB Baseball Betting - Toronto at Tampa Bay

By Charles Jay

BetUS MLB betting odds: Pick'em (-110 each way), Total 9 (Under -115, Over -105)

The Toronto Blue Jays (10-12) have been playing some "Mickey Mouse" baseball with three straight losses, so it is somehow appropriate that they are still stuck in Orlando, and specifically the Disney Sports Complex, as they take on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (10-11) in an American League East game that begins at 7:10 PM ET on Thursday night.

Dustin McGowan (1-1, 3.38 ERA) gets the starting assignment for the Blue Jays, while Tampa Bay hopes for another strong performance out of Andy Sonnanstine (2-1, 5.55 ERA), another right-hander.

At BetUS Sportsbook, The game is posted at pick'em (-110 each way), with a total of nine runs (the Under is -115, while the Over is -105).

Here are some of the MLB 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 eight games

* TOR has played five of its last seven games UNDER the total

* TOR has played seven of its last ten road games UNDER the total

* TB has won four of its last six games

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

In the HEAD-TO-HEAD baseball betting trends:

* Eleven of the last 13 meetings have gone UNDER the total

* TB has won five of the last seven meetings as the home team

* Six of the last seven meetings in St. Pete/Orlando have gone UNDER the total

Dustin McGowan has been really solid for Toronto this season. The right-hander has pitched in bad luck, with his team scoring just 11 total runs in his four outings, but in those games he's given up: two runs in six innings, two runs in five, three runs in six, and two runs in seven. By today's standards, that's consistent. So the Blue Jays like to think they know what to expect from him.

Only six of 89 batters have reached him for an extra base hit. But teams are hitting .315 against him, so he's often trying to pitch his way out of trouble. Andy Sonnanstine has given up the long ball too much (five home runs) but teams are hitting just .263 against him, and he has kept batters from getting on base cheaply (only four walks).

The Rays have outscored the opponent by a 26-19 margin with Sonnanstine on the mound, and they were tremendously impressed by his last outing, when he pitched a complete game three-hit shutout against the White Sox. He's got promise, and right now there is some competition for who is going to remain in the rotation when Scott Kazmir and Matt Garza come off the disabled list. there are a lot of guys to choose from.

Sonnanstine's history against Toronto isn't great (6.75 ERA), but the Tampa Bay bullpen has been the biggest surprise of all, leading the majors with a 2.48 ERA. And the Rays have won all five games in their Orlando home-away-from-home. Toronto's power has been disappointing, around the middle of the pack in the big leagues (15th in home runs). Let's go with the Rays at home in this pick'em matchup, laying -110 in the BetUS Major League Baseball betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: TAMPA BAY (-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)