MLB Lines – Jays vs Angels
The visiting Jays are hoping to right the ship in Southern California after a four-game sweep at the hands of the AL West-leading Oakland Athletics. Between a slate of injuries and uninspired play, it hasn’t been a good road trip for Toronto; it doesn’t help that the teams in California are currently on a roll.
Date/Time: Monday, July 7 2014, 10:05 pm EST
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim CA
Toronto +1.5, LAA -1.5
MoneyLine: Toronto +155, LAA -175
Over/Under: 8.5
Pitching Match-up: J.A. Happ (7-4, 4.38 ERA) vs. Jered Weaver (9-6, 3.56 ERA)
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With 3B/2B hybrid Brett Lawrie on the disabled list and with 1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion – one of the league’s elite sluggers – also going down with injury this week, baseball has took a turn for the bleak north of the border.
The Jays (47-43) had a stranglehold on the AL East division lead for well over a month, but they’ve gradually lost ground and have been surpassed by the surging Baltimore Orioles.
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With a few other American League teams finding their form, Toronto needs to turn it around before the All-Star Break if it wants the goal of postseason baseball to remain on the table.
As it regards the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (51-36), they are second only to the dominant Oakland A’s in the AL West. The Halos’s well-publicized group of sluggers are finally starting to be healthy and playing well at the same time; it’s making all the difference.
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In addition to Best-Player-On-The-Planet OF Mike Trout, the Angels have 1B (and future Hall of Famer) Albert Pujols, who has chipped in with 19 HRs and 57 RBI. Josh Hamilton, who patrols the outfield with Trout, is hitting just a hair under .300 and is getting on base nearly 39% of the time he’s at the plate.
It’s not just Trout carrying the offense anymore. The veterans that Angels’ ownership threw a ton of money at the past couple of years are finally paying dividends.
All this translates to the Jays potentially having another tough go on Monday night, particularly with the inconsistent J.A. Happ taking the mound for Toronto. Happ has spun a couple of great performances this season, but he has also looked unworthy of Triple A at times.
With so many key contributors for Toronto out or dinged up – franchise superstar Jose Bautista isn’t 100% – the Jays are in rough shape if Happ doesn’t spin a masterful performance.
A lot of Toronto riding out this turbulent patch could depend on the play of SS Jose Reyes. One of the team’s high-paid superstars, Reyes must stay on the field and be dynamic to ensure the Jays score runs without the long balls of Encarnacion and Lawrie.
If Reyes can play like he did for stretches while on the New York Mets, it should help see Toronto through until the hitters can get healthy and heat up again.
MLB Betting Predictions
Toronto doesn’t currently have enough healthy talent available to play catch-up with the home team, so Happ has a profound job to accomplish on Monday night in the Los Angeles suburbs.
I predict the ball flying out of the park for one of the clubs, and I have more faith in veteran Angels starter Jered Weaver than career journeyman Happ.
Los Angeles 6, Toronto 4
Take the OVER
