NBA Playoff Betting – Cavaliers Will Roll In Game 1

These rivals didn’t meet in last year’s NBA postseason, but they will in 2010. Get ready for Game 1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ best-of-seven showdown against the Boston Celtics.

Boston Celtics @ Cleveland Cavaliers – Game 1
Saturday, May 1st – 8:10 PM ET
Quicken Loans Arena – Cleveland, OH
TV: TNT
NBA Betting Spread: Cavaliers -7

The Week That Was: Celtics

The great debate in the basketball world right now is this: Did the Boston Celtics re-emerge as an NBA title contender over the past few weeks, or did coach Doc Rivers’ team merely delay an inevitable playoff exit by one round? Did Boston transform itself after dispatching the Miami Heat in five games, or did the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference advance with relative ease only because its opponent was so thin?

Last Sunday, April 25, Boston did lose its only game of the first round against Miami, but it took a phenomenal 46-point effort from Dwyane Wade to give the Heat a 101-92 win against the Celtics. However, with nobody else on the Heat roster providing any substantial consistency, Miami had to get more from its supporting cast. On Tuesday, April 27, Wade scored “only” 31 points, and sure enough, the rest of the Heat managed just 55 points combined. As a result, Boston held down Miami in a 96-86 series-clinching win.

Did Boston beat a real team in round one, or did it beat Dwyane Wade and four ghosts? We’ll see if the Celtics have truly improved when they take on the Cavs.

The Week That Was: Cavaliers

The one thing that the Cleveland Cavaliers always hoped to avoid – like any other team with a top-tier superstar – happened this past week.

The only question now is this: Just how badly will an injured right elbow affect LeBron James on the basketball court?

On Sunday, April 25, LeBron frolicked and romped across the court, throwing down 37 points and casually draining a 44-foot jump shot (yes, jump shot, not a push shot or a baseball-pass prayer) in a 121-98 demolition of the Chicago Bulls. King James showed the basketball world why that moniker sticks to his name, as he led Cleveland to a convincing Game 4 win and a 3-1 series lead.

The satisfaction surrounding that win dissipated in Tuesday’s Game 5 against Chicago. Cleveland did eliminate the Bulls, 96-94, but everyone inside Quicken Loans Arena worried about LeBron after he shot a late-game foul shot with his left hand. A right elbow injury rendered his shooting arm numb. This elbow will command the attention of everyone following this series.

Outlook & Pick

Is Boston back, or was Miami simply that bad and limited? Is LeBron’s elbow normal enough to support and facilitate accurate mid-range jump shooting (long-range shooting is probably too much to ask at this point)? These and other fresh questions have emerged in the Boston-Cleveland series. The verdict for Game 1 is that Boston has not done enough to earn the trust of the NBA community. The Celtics’ halfcourt offense regularly melts down in the fourth quarters of games, and role players like Rasheed Wallace and Glen “Big Baby” Davis have been far too inconsistent over the course of the season. Wallace was a non-factor throughout the Miami series, and Big Baby delivered only one high-impact game versus the Heat (in Game 5). Over the course of the full series, we’ll learn about Cleveland, but Game 1 is a measure of Boston’s ability to perform on the road. The Celtics need to prove a lot of people wrong. Take Cleveland only because its opponent doesn’t yet seem to be ready to win.

NBA Playoff Betting Pick: Cavaliers

MLB Predictions – Hot Padres Host Brewers Saturday Night

The hot San Diego Padres, who have gone 8 and 2 in their last 10 games, and have won 3 in a row, host the Milwaukee Brewers in the 3rd of their 4 game series on Saturday.

The Padres send pitcher Mat Latos to the mound to take on one of the highest scoring team in MLB. Latos figures to be a slight baseball bet favorite on Saturday even though his stats aren’t all that great. So far in 2010, Latos is 1 and 2 with a 6.20 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP.

Milwaukee puts one of their better pitchers on the mound to face Latos on Saturday. Yovani Gallardo is 2 and 2 with a 3.41 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. He’s won his last two games, both against the Pittsburgh Pirates, after losing 2 out of his first 3 starts.

Even though Gallardo has better stats than Latos, the Padres have been hot lately. That means that they will most likely go off as the baseball betting line favorite in this game.

Expected Baseball Bet Odds

Milwaukee Brewers
Yovani Gallardo – R +1 ½ -190 +115 O 8 ½ -110

San Diego Padres
Mat Latos – R -1 ½ +160 -135 U 8 ½ -110

The MLB betting trends favor neither team in this game.

• The Milwaukee Brewers are 5 and 1 in Yovani Gallardo’s last 6 starts with 4 days of rest.

• The Milwaukee Brewers are 4 and 1 in their last 5 games on the road.

• The San Diego Padres are 7 and 0 in their last 7 games at home.

• The San Diego Padres are 11 and 2 in their last 13 games overall.

The Padres are hot but Mat Latos faces a seriously good offensive team. In fact, the Brewers are ranked #3 in MLB. They average 5.73 runs per game. As a team, the Brewers have already hit 26 home runs.

The Padres may have set the tone regarding this series, however, when blanketing the Brewers 9 to 0 as -134 favorites. But the pitcher in that game for San Diego, Wade LeBlanc, is very, very good. LeBlanc’s ERA is .52. He was expected to shutdown the Brewers.

Latos isn’t expected to. So, the real question is what Gallardo can do to keep the hot Padres from racking up runs. Gallardo has the ability to do very well against a Padres’ team that’s averaging 4.68 runs per game. If he can keep them to around 4 runs, then the Brewers might have a chance to win this game.

The Brewers should be able to ding Latos for at least 4 and possibly up to 6 runs.

My belief is that Gallardo and the Milwaukee Brewers will go off as slight underdogs in this game. I’m going to make a baseball bet on them to beat the San Diego Padres on Saturday.

MLB Free Pick: Milwaukee Brewers to win

ATP Masters Rome Betting Tip – Hewitt and Llodra in Action

Rome, Italy – Second round tennis betting action continues in earnest on Wednesday with several standout matchups to spot. Here is a quick rundown of some that can be thrown into a hefty parlay.

Tennis Betting Line: Michael Llodra +190 Santiago Giraldo -275

First Set Line: Michael Llodra +150 Santiago Giraldo -200

Match Time: 07:00 AM Eastern Time (12:00 Local Time) Wednesday April 28, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: For all intended purposes, this match is wide open for the taking. The market distinctly favours Santiago Giraldo though, tipping him as the favourite at -275. Giraldo ranks lower than Llodra and where form is concerned, his has been as modest as Llodra’s.

Why he has the bookies nod is on surface edge. The Columbian export is a bit of a clay court aficionado. But as good as he is on the dirt he has yet to transcend above the Challenger circuit where he has enjoyed his best performances to date.

Llodra, is disadvantaged at +190 but he seems to be the better play in my opinion because he has more experience at this level. He is 8-8 on the season with a title in Marseille. Going against him the is a marked dip in form since winning that title. Still, I believe he can turn things around against Giraldo.

Tennis Free Picks: Llodra in three sets

Tennis Betting Line: Guillermo Garcia Lopez +125 Lleyton Hewitt -165

First Set Line: Guillermo Garcia Lopez +115 Lleyton Hewitt -155

Match Time: 07:00 AM Eastern Time (12:00 Local Time) Wednesday April 28, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: Hewitt beat Youzhny in the first round to set up a clash against Guillermo Garcia Lopez. The win over Youzhny was a bit of an upset because the Russian was on form ahead of their clash and Hewitt is still questionable since coming off an injury.

Hewitt needed three sets to take out Youzhny 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. One wonders whether he is fit, enough to grind some more because that is what he will have to do against Guillermo, an adequate clay-courter.

Bookies are after favouring Hewitt at -165, so at least they believe this is his match for the taking. However, Guillermo is listed at +125, significantly understated puppy dog odds, which suggests he has every chance to take this match away from Hewitt.

Tennis Expert Prediction: Guillermo Garcia- Lopez.

ATP Masters Rome Second Betting – Soderling and Berdych

Rome, Italy – Robin Soderling is set to begin his Rome Masters campaign on Wednesday against Paolo Lorenzi; meanwhile, Berdych is preparing for his second round match against Stanislas Wawrinka. BetOnline has rolled out several eye-catching markets on these encounters and more. Here is a look at the market, complete with tennis free picks.

Tennis Betting Line: Paolo Lorenzi +800 Robin Soderling -2000

First Set Line: Paolo Lorenzi +500 Robin Soderling -1000

Match Time: 07:00 AM Eastern Time (12:00 Local Time) Wednesday April 28, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: Soderling is after a runner-up finish at the Barcelona Open on Sunday, losing to Verdasco in a three set marathon, 3-6, 6-4, 3-6. He arrives in Rome on good form and with a career-high ranking of No.7.

Clearly, Soderling is off to a good start on 2010 with a 20-6 mark, including a title in Rotterdam, and as such, enters this match as the solid -2000 favourite.

It will be the first career meeting between Soderling and Paolo Lorenzi in the second round of the Rome Masters. That they have never squared off should have no impact on this match –at least where the expected outcome is concerned: Soderling to win.

Lorenzi has a national stake in this match with home edge but the No.96 ranked player will be hard pressed to make that advantage count. He was 0-9 ahead of Rome, managing his first ATP win on the season when he took out Albert Montanes in the first round. Taking out a lightweight, Montanes is one thing, taking out a heavyweight Soderling is another.

Tennis Free Picks: Soderling in straight sets

Tennis Betting Line: Tomas Berdych -145 Stanislas Wawrinka +105

First Set Line: Tomas Berdych -135 Stanislas Wawrinka -105

Match Time: 09:00 AM Eastern Time (14:00 Local Time) Wednesday April 28, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: The clash between Tomas Berdych and Stanislas Wawrinka should be the more interesting clash of the day as it will showcase two equally matched players in the game and both with some clay court skills. Head-to-head, Berdych has the 4-2 edge over Wawrinka but Wawrinka has the 1-0 edge on clay.

No.14 Berdych enters this match as the favourite, tipped at -145 to win outright and at -135 to take the first set. He has had some noteworthy results on the big stage recently and therefore, he is expected to continue on that form. Berdych finished runner-up to Roddick at the Miami Masters last month and reached the last 16 in Monte Carlo last week, where he lost to Verdasco. It should be noted, Berdych suffered a minor ankle strain during that match but as it has been two weeks since, he should be good for his encounter.

Wawrinka on the other hand has won a title this year, in Casablanca but struggled on the big stage for the most part. He was once a finalist in Rome though, lost to Djokovic in the 2008 final. Overall, Wawrinka is 14-5 on the season, sporting a No.26 ranking (once ranked as high as No.9 2008).

Tennis Free Picks: Berdych in three sets

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French Stand in Rome – Tsonga and Benneteau Eye Third Round Spots

Rome, Italy – Frenchmen, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Julien Benneteau are gearing up for the Rome Masters second round on Wednesday and BetOnline has all the action you would need to bet on their matches.

Benneteau isn’t seeded at the tournament so he has already one match under his belt – a win over American hopeful Sam Querrey in the first round. Next for the savvy veteran Benneteau is an encounter against local favourite, Filippo Volandri and on the line is a spot in the third round opposite Ernests Gulbis.

Speaking of Gulbis, he is after beating Federer in the second round, thereby blowing this section of the draw wide open. You have to believe now with le maestro out, both Benneteau and Volandri fancy their chances of a deep run in Rome.

Tsonga is seeded seventh in Rome and therefore, he received a bye into the second round. He begins his tournament against Viktor Troicki who advanced with a win over Thiemo de Bakker.

Tennis Betting Line: Filippo Volandri Ev Julien Benneteau -140

First Set Line: Filippo Volandri -110 Julien Benneteau -130

Match Time: 07:00 AM Eastern Time (12:00 Local Time) Wednesday April 28, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: The bookies tip Filippo Volandri at evens while slightly favouring Julien Benneteau at -140. Volandri’s favourable price tag is a function of home edge. There is something bittersweet, even heroic about a player rising to the occasion before home fans. But Volandri would have to punch above his weight class something huge to mastermind the win.

The market might not tip it so but it would be a significant upset if Volandri won. Volandri has fallen off the ATP radar – ranks outside the top 100 at No.152 – and is an underwhelming 1-2 on the season. Last year, Volandri was the subject of some match-betting controversy. Though he seems to be back in the swing of things, he hasn’t shown his heart is in it anymore. A bit jaded he seems.

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Benneteau by contrast is in positive stead overall and good form with a 12-8 mark on the term and a ranking at No.36. Not only does Benneteau have the on paper edge but also he has every other edge required to make him the better play – form and positive frame of mind.

Tennis Free Picks: Benneteau in three sets

Tennis Betting Line: Jo Wilfried Tsonga -400 Viktor Troicki +250

First Set Line: Jo Wilfried Tsonga -300 Viktor Troicki +200

Match Time: 10:30 AM Eastern Time (15:30 Local Time) Wednesday April 28, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is listed as the -400 favourite to win outright and the -300 favourite to take the first set. Interestingly though, Tsonga has never quite beaten Troicki. Should fans be concerned then?

On two occasions last year, Tsonga succumbed to Troicki. In Japan, he was forced to retire from a match he was ahead by a set (7-5) but down 2-1 in the second. In Bangkok, he lost 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 to Troicki.

The latter mark is the representative mark because it is the only completed match between these two, however it doesn’t mean Troicki is the smart play.

Certainly, there is value in a player that has a winning record over his opponent. It makes Troicki at +250 to win outright and at +200 to take the first set, theoretically a sound play. It follows: if he has beaten Tsonga before, he should be optimistic about his chances again.

That is if they were on any other surface than clay. Fact is: Troicki is not great on clay while Tsonga is an all-surface player. That edge on surface is what makes Tsonga the smart play in the end.

Tennis Expert Prediction: Tsonga in straight sets

ATP Masters Rome Betting – Nadal Begins Title Defense Campaign

Rome, Italy – Rafael Nadal begins his title defence campaign in Rome on Wednesday. The Spaniard has won the Rome Masters title four times (2005-2007, and 2009). He will be gunning for his fifth overall title at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia as well he will aim to rival Agassi’s record of 17 Masters titles.

Standing in his way is Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany. Kohlschreiber is after dumping Andy Murray in the second round of Monte Carlo a fortnight ago and he will be looking to put a similar damper on things for Nadal.

But what are his chances of doing so, really. Now when Nadal mailed in a clinical performance (dropping in total, 14 games) to win his sixth title in a row at the prestigious Monte Carlo Masters event and everyone is agreeing they had dismissed him a little too quickly.

That everyone assessed Nadal so is not surprising they are nothing but on his case always, looking for every and any opportunity to be negative where he is concerned.

Fact is, of the top five, Nadal has been the most consistent on the season in results. He has made deep runs in all five events competed this season, including a runner-up finish in Doha, a quarterfinal at Oz, semis at back-to-back Indian Wells and Miami Masters and a title win in Monte Carlo.

Boggles the mind they are so critical really. Thankfully, the bookies are less fickle where Nadal is concerned. He is priced as an untouchable favourite at -6500 while Kohlschreiber is listed at +1400.

Tennis Betting Line: Rafael Nadal -6500 Philipp Kohlschreiber +1400

First Set Line: Rafael Nadal -2000 Philipp Kohlschreiber +800

Match Time: 09:00 AM Eastern Time (14:00 Local Time) Wednesday April 28, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: The market is clearly one-sided and Nadal is expected to win. At -6500 to win outright and at -2000 to take the first set, there isn’t a lot of money to make but he is the sure play.

After his emphatic performance at Monte Carlo more than a few players are intimidated by him and the thought of coming up against him. Rightfully so.

Kohlschreiber at +1400 to win outright and at +800 to take the first set will be hard pressed to account any better than De Bakker, Berrer, Ferrero, Ferrer and Verdasco did against Nadal a fortnight ago. Of course, he will try to avoid a similar blow out that was handed to De Bakker and Berrer but I don’t know that he can escape such a fate.

Tennis Free Picks: Nadal in straight sets

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Rome Masters Match Previews and Tips – Verdasco and Lopez

Rome, Italy – Barcelona Champion Fernando Verdasco puts his mettle to the test at the Internazionali d’Italia this week. Verdasco has had a great run in his last two events – a runner-up finish in Monte Carlo (don’t focus overly on the 6-0, 6-1 score he lost by to Nadal) and a title victory in Barcelona.

Actually, do look at that score for a moment – the 6-0, 6-1 loss to Nadal in the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters final. Many a player would have been simply crushed after being handed down such a humiliating beating, so crushed that it would be understandable if they had moped a bit.

Had he at least been competitive that loss would have been so much easier to accept, surely.

To be made sport of so can’t be easy to come to terms with and not after playing some good tennis to get to the final and beating Novak Djokovic no less in the process.

Many players in his place would have withered away, had an existential crisis (ahem Murray, yes looking at you), or fallen into a slump. I am sure of it.

That Fernando Verdasco didn’t let any of that happen, didn’t allow that final to define him in any shape of form or spill forth into his subsequent events makes his win in Barcelona, not only redeeming, but also impressive and somewhat bittersweet.

Verdasco is set to begin his campaign against Simone Bolelli of Italy in the second round. Elsewhere, his BFF, Felicano Lopez takes on Marin Cilic in the second round.

Tennis Betting Line: Fernando Verdasco -900 Simone Bolelli +450

First Set Line: Fernando Verdasco -500 Simone Bolelli +300

Match Time: 10:30 AM Eastern Time (15:30 Local Time) Wednesday April 28, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: Verdasco is the -900 favourite to win outright and the -500 favourite to take the first set. Few tennis bettors will be looking to buck the trend here because not only is Verdasco in such good form but also his opponent is not exactly threatening.

Bolelli is so off-form this season that to expect he would beat Verdasco is as hallucinatory as it can get. True, Bolelli has home edge going for him but aside from moving him to account well I don’t see it factoring in the result. Frankly, anything but a Verdasco win would be a shocker.

Tennis Free Picks: Verdasco in straight sets

Tennis Betting Line: Feliciano Lopez +200 Marin Cilic -300

First Set Line: Feliciano Lopez +150 Marin Cilic -200

Match Time: 12:30 PM Eastern Time (18:30 Local Time) Wednesday April 28, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: Feliciano Lopez, otherwise known as Verdasco’s BFF, reached the second round with a win over Benjamin Becker, a relatively routine 6-4, 6-3 win. He will have his work cut out for him against Marin Cilic in the second round though.

The Croatian is a rising star on the ATP Tour, the next Del Potro if you will. The market likes his chances against Lopez naturally, listing him the favourite at -300. Lopez is the puppy at +200.

I would maintain there is more value in Lopez in this match than there is in Cilic simply because Lopez is better on clay than Cilic is.

As good Cilic is on fast surfaces, he is the opposite on slow surfaces that absorb pace. Lopez has a real shot to advance into the third round if he plays a focused game.

Tennis Free Picks: Lopez in three sets. < < Sign Up NOW> >

Baseball Picks – Tigers vs Twins

In their first meeting since playing in game 163 to decide the final AL playoff spot last season, the winners of that game, the Minnesota Twins travel to Detroit to take on the Tigers at Comerica Park.

The Detroit Tigers are still stinging from the 1-0 loss to the Twins last season that cost them a spot in the playoffs, in hopes of getting a bit of redemption and gain an important game in the AL Central standing they are sending 2009 CY Young candidate Justin Verlander to the mound while the Twins counter with Francisco Lirano.

Game Date/Time: Tuesday, April 27th, 7:05 ET
Game Location: Comerica Park, Detroit MI
TV/Radio Broadcast: FSNO, FSD

The MLB Odds makers have the Detroit Tigers as small -120 favorites and the comeback on the Twins will pay you even money. The game total is set at 8 runs.

Baseball Betting Odds

Minnesota Twins +1½ -190 Ev

Francisco Liriano – L

Detroit Tigers -1½ +160 -120

Justin Verlander – R

Justin Verlander has gotten off to a slow start this season with just a 1-1 record and an overly inflated ERA at 6.95. Verlander tied for the MLB lead in wins last season at 19, the only concern is that he may have over pitched last season.

Verlander threw 240 innings last season or about 40 more than his next highest total. It’s too soon to speculate on that but unless you’re name is Roy Halladay, that’s too many innings considering the way pitchers are babied.

At the plate, Miguel Cabrera has been doing what he is supposed to do; he’s hitting in the clutch, driving in runs and winning ballgames.

Cabrera was the goat of last year’s one game playoff after it was revealed he was out partying the night before the game and his lack of clutch play in 2009 suggests that it may not have been just one night out boozing.

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Already in 2010, Miguel Cabrera has 24 RBI in 20 games and last night he hit a top of ninth go-ahead homerun as the Tigers beat the Texas Rangers 8-6.

If you are looking for a Rookie of the year candidate, you have to look at Tigers CF Austin Jackson. Jackson has been asked to replace Curtis Granderson and so far so good as Jackson is batting .325 and has scored 14 runs putting him on pace for 113 runs.

To go along with the bat and the scoring, his arm is gaining respect around the league as he already has a couple of outfield assists.

The Twins counter with Francisco Liriano, Liriano has been brilliant in his last two outings both wins and both games he didn’t give up a run. This has to be welcome news for the Twins after watching Liriano struggle last season with a 5-13 record.

Joe Mauer has been his MVP self, he’s once again pushing .400 and has knocked in and scored 12 runs. Against Verlander, Mauer has a .373 batting average with three homeruns and nine RBI in his career.

I’m not sold on Liriano maintaining his strong play, it’s rare for a player not to give up a run in three straight outings and it’s even rarer for a pitcher that lost 13 games the season before. Of course, until Verlander shows he’s regained his 19-win form, I’d rather lay off him. Looking at those factors, I’ll take the over 8 runs in this game.

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Baseball Betting – Can Pirates Avenge Embarrassing 17-3 Monday Loss to Brewers?

After suffering a 17-3 beating in the first game of the series against the Brewers, the Pittsburgh Pirates will try to pick up the pieces tonight as they look to rebound with a game two win in their series with Milwaukee.

The Pirates, an MLB betting underdog according to the baseball betting odds going into tonight’s game, have all the motivation in the world to bounce back with a win.

But the Brewers have the talent edge both in the pitching matchup and in their lineup, which makes them a worthy MLB betting favorite according to the baseball betting odds.

They probably won’t win by 14 runs again, but will Milwaukee get the best of Pittsburgh yet again?

Pittsburgh Pirates (Jeff Karstens, R) at Milwaukee Brewers (Randy Wolf, R)

8:05 et, FSN-HD

MLB betting line: Milwaukee favored at -1 ½

The Brewers will throw out Randy Wolf, a crafty veteran pitcher and former All-Star. He doesn’t have overwhelming stuff that most former All-Star pitchers have had at one point in their careers but he knows how to pitch, changing speeds, working the corners, and throwing strikes.

Those type of pitchers are usually difficult for teams with average to bad lineups like the Pirates to hit.

The Pirates are in danger of slipping into no-man’s land yet again as they drift away from the .500 mark, going into this game at last place in the NL Central with a 7-12 record.

The sports betting community recognizes that Pittsburgh has an intangible edge in this one, but with the way the Brewers have been hitting the ball lately, it’s tough to bet against them in this game.

Milwaukee has a great mix of youth and veterans and of home run hitters and guys who hit for average and SP Jeff Karstens is in danger of getting lit up tonight on the road against one of the best hitting teams in the majors.

Karstens’ ERA is above 5 going into tonight’s game which adds to the appeal of the Milwaukee Brewers as the MLB betting favorite according to the baseball betting odds.

If the MLB betting underdog Pirates can get a good performance from Karstens they have a shot to beat the baseball betting odds, but Karstens hasn’t shown any signs that he is capable of doing that tonight.

That means the Brewers are a great bet to win this game and climb back to .500, a point from which the talented young team can make a run.

MLB betting pick: Milwaukee Brewers (-1 ½).

Major League Baseball Odds – Oakland vs Tampa Bay

Two of the hottest teams in this young MLB betting season duke it out at Tropicana Field for the first of a three-game set on Tuesday night when the Oakland Athletics travel to meet the Tampa Bay Rays.

The A’s hit the road after playing 10 straight home games. They went 6-4 on that home stand, two losses of which were at the hands of the mighty New York Yankees. They took two out of three against Cleveland, but won those two games by a composite score of 21-0.

The Rays have the best record in baseball thanks to the fact that they boast the best offense in the game. They’re averaging almost six runs per game, and they’re fresh off of taking two out of three against the Blue Jays.

Oakland Athletics (12-8, +$372) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (14-5, +$872)

Game Date/Time: Tuesday, April 27th, 7:10 ET
Game Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
TV/Radio Broadcast: Cox Sports California, Sun Sports, XM

MLB Odds

• Oakland Athletics    +1.5 -130      +150 (Ben Sheets – R)
• Tampa Bay Rays    -1.5 +110      -170 (Wade Davis – R)
• Total                     8.5 O -115     8.5 U -105

GM Billy Beane took a huge calculated risk by signing RHP Ben Sheets to a $10M deal in the offseason. However, at least up to this point, the risk has been worth the reward.

Sheets may only be 1-1, but he has a stellar 2.74 ERA. His walk total is a bit high at 13, especially in relation to his strikeout total of 12.

He also hasn’t really proven to be able to pitch deep into games, but if the right-hander can throw six frames every single time out and not give up more than three runs in a start, someone is going to offer the Athletics a nice prize for Sheets at the trade deadline.

Manager Joe Maddon will hand the ball to RHP Wade Davis in this MLB betting battle.

Much like Sheets, this youngster has had some control issues, walking 11 batters in just 17 innings of work. However, he is 1-1 with a 2.65 ERA, which is quite suitable for a man who is only asked to be the fifth starter in a solid rotation.

Davis hasn’t pitched deeper than the sixth inning in any game. He got his first win of the year in his most recent start, as he tossed six scoreless innings in a 12-0 win over the White Sox in the Windy City last week.

MLB Insider Tip: Tampa Bay is 8-2 in its L/10 games following a win.

Maddon realizes the fact that the Rays would’ve been a playoff team last season had they played this well in the month of April. He’s got his squad believing that it can once again win the AL East.

The offense is just clicking on too many cylinders right now, and Sheets hasn’t quite proven enough to us yet for our support on the road in one of the toughest venues to play in baseball.

Look for Davis to pitch Tampa Bay to an MLB betting victory on Tuesday night.

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