AL Championship Series Rematch – Boston at Tampa Bay

BetOnline sportsbook customers will be treated to a rematch of the 2008 American League Championship Series, as the Boston Red Sox visit the Tampa Bay Rays in sunny Florida. At the beginning of last season, it was the Rays who were serious underdogs on MLB odds, however the young Rays managed to defy the MLB lines and climb their way to a World Series berth. Unfortunately, 2009 has been what sports betting experts are calling a sophomore slump for Tampa Bay, getting out of the gate with a 8-14 start that has landed them in 5th place in the AL East.

For the Boston Red Sox, it has been yet another excellent start, as they sit in first place in the AL East, despite an injury to starting shortstop Julio Lugo. Veteran pitchers such as Tim Wakefield have defied baseball odds and performed way above their heads and made up for the injury, spoiling the Boston fan base that had been tortured for so long, once again.

Andy Sonnenstine will take the hill for the Rays on Friday, and will look to reverse an absolutely atrocious start to the season thus far. The 6’3” right hander is 0-3 with a 7.78 ERA as of April 30, with a startling WHIP of 1.83. The only thing that has saved Sonnenstine’s stats has been his 15 strikeouts in three starts, which should be of note to those betting on baseball.

Taking the ball for the Red Sox will be a young pitcher on the opposite end of the spectrum, Justin Masterson. The hulking 6’6”, 250 pound righty is 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.

The one advantage for the young Rays in this contest will be that Masterson is prone to tossing plenty of fastballs. Their power hitters, such as Carlos Pena and B.J. Upton, are dead fastball hitters who will prey on flat pitches in a home-run friendly park in Tampa. Unfortunately however, Pena is striking out at an alarming rate, and Upton, who was a force during the 2008 playoffs, has a miserable .158 batting average going into the series with the Red Sox.

Go with the MLB odds, and expect the Boston Red Sox to be victorious in their series with the Rays. However, the Rays’ best chance for a victory will certainly be with Masterson on the mound, meaning you might be able to get a little value out of the MLB lines along with your Red Sox parlay on the series.