Orioles vs. Royals Preview + MLB Free Pick

[Shame About Ray]

MLB Baseball Wagering – Surprise Teams - Royals Host Orioles

While the Baltimore Orioles, (17-18, 11-24 O/U) and Kansas City Royals, (15-19, 11-23 O/U) have been two of the biggest and most pleasant sports betting surprises in all of baseball in the early going of the 2008 MLB online betting season, each club is now struggling to find the consistency they both displayed just a few weeks ago.

While the Orioles enter tonight’s matchup coming off a 4-1 win over the Royals in their series opener on Thursday night, the win was just Baltimore’s third in its last 10 games in the BetUS Sportsbook.

The Orioles’ got an impressive complete-game performance from starting pitcher Daniel Cabrera to record their 10th straight win over the Royals and sixth straight in Kansas City and will send veteran right-hander Steve Trachsel, (1-4, 7.43 ERA) to the mound looking for more, though Trachsel has been absolutely horrendous lately.

The 37-year-old has not reached the fourth inning in any of his last four starts and was knocked senseless in his last start, allowing six runs, including three home runs in Sunday’s 6-5 road loss to the Los Angeles Angels.

"I'm just kind of really frustrated," Trachsel said. "I just haven't been getting the job done lately, and I'm not real happy about that."
The Royals will look to snap their losing ways against the Orioles by sending out high-priced starter Gil Meche, who is coming off his best outing of the season as he shut out the Cleveland Indians, for seven innings, allowing just four hits in the Royals’ 2-0 win on Sunday.

"This is what I've been waiting for," said Meche, who had given up at least five runs in three of his previous five starts. "This is the game I really needed to see."

Here is a look at tonight’s key trends followed by my MLB Betting Free Picks:

The Orioles are 7-19 in Trachsel’s last 26 starts on grass.
The Orioles are 2-7 in Trachsel’s last nine starts with four days of rest.
The Royals are 3-7 in Meche’s last ten home starts.
The Royals are 4-13 in Meche’s last 17 starts with four days of rest.
The Under is 4-1 in Trachsel’s last five starts vs. a team with a losing record.
The Under is 4-0 in Meche’s last four starts vs. American League East.
The Under is 4-0 in the last four meetings.
The Orioles are 20-6 in the last 26 meetings in Kansas City.

Analysis: This pick is just about as easy as it gets as the Royals will emphatically snap their 10-game losing streak to the Orioles tonight by pounding the Orioles’ Steve Trachsel right out of Baltimore’s starting rotation. Take the Royals to win behind another decent outing from veteran Gil Meche.

MLB Free Picks: Royals 6 Orioles 3

08:10 PM EST MLB Lines

Baltimore Orioles
Steve Trachsel - R +1½ -155

Kansas City Royals
Gil Meche - R -1½ +135

Over 9 -120
Under 9 EV