MLB Betting – Red Sox vs Rangers Preview & Pick
After the pack was tight for the first two thirds of the season, the American League Central is finally crystallizing.
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MLB Betting – Tigers vs Rays Preview & Pick
Date: Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Venue: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
Broadcast: FSD, SUN
Detroit Tigers at Tampa Bay Rays Betting Lines from Sportsbook.com
Money Line: Rays -107
Over/Under: 8.5
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Detroit Tigers (69-58 through August 22)
Max Scherzer (13-7, 4.23)
It appears the Detroit Tigers are the class of the bunch. Through Monday, they’d won four straight to open up a 5.5-game lead atop the division.
To me, the key for Detroit has been secondary contributions. We knew they had the division’s best star power; Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez have delivered on their considerable expectations. But wasn’t depth supposed to be a problem?
I for one didn’t see Jhonny Peralta’s career year coming, nor did I expect Alex Avila and Brennan Boesch to break out like they have. Delmon Young looks like one more solid depth addition to the lineup; he’s batting .323 with two homers and six RBI in his first seven games as a Tiger.
Max Scherzer was at least expected to match his 2011 production on the mound and he’s more or less done that. His ERA is a little up but he’s thrown more strikes this season.
He hasn’t been the same pitcher on the road, though; he has seven wins but a 5.20 ERA over 12 starts.
Tampa Bay Rays (69-57 through August 22)
Wade Davis (8-7, 4.43)
The Tampa Bay Rays have actually been one of baseball’s hottest teams this month but their efforts go largely unnoticed since they’re stuck in the shadow of the Yankees and Red Sox’s battle for the AL East crown. Before falling to Detroit Monday, Tampa had won five straight games in convincing fashion. [dfads params=’groups=10&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
They’ve done their damage more with pitching than hitting – except when Wade Davis pitches. Considered an elite prospect just a couple seasons ago, he now looks like an ordinary innings eater. He’s ERAs month to month have fluctuated wildly: 2.73, 6.34, 3.81, 5.79 and, in August, 3.43.
MLB Trends
Over is 8-1-1 in DET last 10 Wed. games.
Over is 6-2-2 in DET last 10 overall.
Under is 8-3-1 in DET last 12 road games.
Under is 6-1-1 in TB last 8 overall.
TB are 7-2 in their last 9 games on astroturf.
TB are 7-2 in their last 9 home games.
MLB Free pick:
Neither team in this matchup jumps out as the definite right choice, so I’ll bet on talent. Scherzer has more to offer than Davis. He has a 2.84 lifetime ERA against the Rays and he’s allowed two earned runs or fewer in seven of his last 10 starts. So maybe he can get it done against an inconsistent Tampa offense that has struggled to make contact this season.
Pick the Tigers and don’t be surprised if Scherzer turns in a double-digit strikeout total on Wednesday.
Tigers vs Rays prediction: Tigers 4, Rays 2
