MLB Predictions – Rays Cash In as Underdogs vs Red Sox
Monday, September 06, 2010
by BetUS.com
Our Monday night MLB betting predictions take us to Fenway Park in Boston, MA where the AL East rival Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox will partake in the opener of their scheduled three-game series.
The Rays just got done feeling the wrath of the revitalized Baltimore Orioles over the weekend dropping two of the three games at Camden Yards.
This stop in Fenway is the second of three divisional locations with a trip to the Rogers Centre to face the Blue Jays scheduled next.
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Though it trails the Yankees by 2.5-games in the AL East, the current AL Wild Card leaders look to be sitting pretty with a seven-game lead over the White Sox.
As for Boston, it’s essentially done for the year and I’m pretty sure Red Sox fans will be more than happy to put this frustrating MLB predictions season behind them.
Having just been swept at home by the Chicago White Sox, Boston now finds itself 10-games off the pace in the AL East and 7.5-games in back of the Rays for the Wild Card. Not impossible to stage a comeback, but highly improbable.
Tampa Bay Rays (83-53, $745) vs. Boston Red Sox (76-61, -$206)
Game Date/Time: Monday, September 6th, 7:10 ET
Game Location: Fenway Park, Boston, MA
TV/Radio Broadcast: MLB Network, XM
MLB Odds
Tampa Bay Rays +1.5 -145 +140
( Jeff Niemann - R)
Boston Red Sox -1.5 +125 -160
( Jon Lester - L)
Total 8.5 O -105 8.5 U -115
Before Jeff Niemann was placed on the DL with a shoulder injury, the righty was flat out money! However, his two starts since returning can best be described as nightmarish. He allowed a combined 15 hits and 17 ER’s to the Angels and Blue Jays failing to reach the sixth inning in both outings. He did manage to go six innings in 19 of his previous 21 starts.
Tampa Bay stands 17-7 overall with him leading its charge to date, and an even more impressive 9-2 in his 11 road starts. Away from “The Trop”, the righty sports a 5-2 record with a 4.57 ERA & 1.28 WHIP through 69 total IP. The Rays have won both his 2010 starts against Boston, and in his career, he’s 2-1 with a 3.94 ERA in three starts vs. the Red Sox.
Opposing the lengthy righty will be Jon Lester who looks to secure his third straight win and fifth in his L/6 tries. He didn’t have his best stuff his last time out at home against Baltimore allowing eight hits and five ER’s vs. the Orioles, but after getting pounded early, he managed to go six and earned the win after his teammates plated six runs in the seventh.
He’s 15-8 on the year with a 3.27 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with a K/BB ratio of 186/65 through 176 innings pitched.
Surprisingly, he’s been at his worst at home where he’s 6-5 with a 4.03 ERA. Boston stands just 7-6 in his 13 home starts and they’ve failed to tally a MLB predictions victory each of the L/4 times he was installed a favorite in the -150 to -200 range. In 17 career starts against the Rays, Lester stands 8-5 with a 3.99 ERA & 1.28 WHIP.
MLB Insider Tip: Since splitting their first eight meetings of the 2010 baseball wagering season, the Rays have held the upper hand winning six of the L/7 battles to date. Fenway had given them major problems in the past, but not this year as the Rays have taken five of the six meetings.
Neither of these starting pitchers enters in the greatest of form, so there’s no reason Boston should be favored by this degree. The Rays are 8-2 their L/10 vs. +500 opposition and they’ve won nine of Niemann’s L/10 starts against winning ball clubs.
Those are some spectacular marks to be working with in this spot, and on top of it, we get to back what is most definitely the better overall team. Look for the Rays to bark as Rabid Dawgs!
BetUS Sportsbook MLB Prediction: Tampa Bay Rays (Niemann)
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baltimore orioles - baseball wagering - boston red sox - chicago white sox - fenway park - jeff niemann - jon lester - mlb betting - rogers centre - tampa bay rays
