Red Sox vs Indians MLB Betting + Handicapping Picks
This is a match-up between two teams that have been just awful as of late.
Both sides had playoff aspirations as the year started, but just have not performed well for the bulk of the 2012 campaign. These recent runs have deterred them even further.
Date/Time: Thursday, August 9, 7:05 PM EST
Venue: Progressive Field, Cleveland, Ohio
Broadcast: MLB Regional
LINE: Cleveland Indians +115 / Boston Red Sox -135 — Over/Under: 9.5
The Red Sox have lost six out of eight games. Three of those losses by way of a four-game set with the last place Twins. Esssh!
So not only is Boston losing, they are losing to bad teams consistently. Bobby V may be on the hot seat.
Meanwhile, the Indians are a team that was starting to play better baseball in the middle portion of the season, then the bottom fell out as the embarked on an 11-game losing skid that put them nine games below .500, and 10 games behind the first place White Sox.
The pitching match-up:
Red Sox – Felix Doubront 10-5 4.56 ERA – 115 K’s – 1.45 WHIP
While the record looks nice, his recent work leaves a lot to be desired. Dobront has allowed at least four runs in six of his last ten starts. Amazingly, he is 4-3 during that stretch. He has also failed to go at least six innings in four of those 10 starts, and needs to show some more consistency, at least to the rest of the bullpen if nothing else. [dfads params=’groups=10&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
Indians – Ubaldo Jimenez 8-11 5.29 ERA – 98 K’s – 1.61 WHIP
This is probably not the season the Tribe was looking for out of Ubaldo when they sent a host of talented prospects to the Rockies for his services last summer. He was actually starting to come around it seemed, but he has now allowed at least five runs in four of his past five starts.
Players to watch for:
Red Sox – Adrian Gonzalez .310/11/72/.353
Gonzalez has 34 plate appearances against Ubaldo. His average is not great during those, but he has two homers, a double, and seven walks during that time. That’s good for a .816 OPS.
Indians – Shin-Soo Choo .291/13/44/.373
Not a single Indian batter has seen Doubront more than three times, so that leaves Cleveland’s best hitter. Choo leads the team in home runs, runs scored, and OPS. If the Indians are going to turn their season around, it will start with this guy.
Matt’s Free Prediction: Boston-You have two abysmal teams in this one and not much of a play. But if I have to make a pick, I will roll with the home dog here.
