MLB Odds – Kansas City Battles Reeling Toronto on Monday Night

The reeling Toronto Blue Jays, who are coming off of getting swept by the L.A. Angels, host the Kansas City Royals as slight favorites in the baseball sportsbook on Monday night.

Toronto sends pitcher Brandon Morrow to the mound. The Blue Jay fans can’t feel good about the fact that Morrow is on the mound considering his last start. Brandon went 0 and 1 for a 12.00 ERA in his first start of the season against the Chicago White Sox. His WHIP after that game is 2.00.

The Royals will counter Morrow with pitcher Brian Bannister. Bannister is 0 and 0 in 2 starts so far in 2010 with a 2.19 ERA and a .97 WHIP. He’s been flat-out brilliant so far this season. The only problem is that Royals middle-relief haven’t given him the support that he’s needed in order to put a check mark in his win column.

Game-night: 4/19/2010
First-pitch: 7:07 pm EST

Check-out the baseball odds for this game below.

Kansas City Royals
Brian Bannister – R +1 ½ -200 -105 O 9 ½ -115

Toronto Blue Jays
Brandon Morrow – R -1 ½ +170 -115 U 9 ½ -105

The trends favor Toronto in this game.

The Toronto Blue Jays are 7 and 1 ATS in their last 8 games as the favorite at home.

The Toronto Blue Jays are 9 and 2 ATS in their last 11 games as the favorite.

The Kansas City Royals are 0 and 5 in Brian Bannister’s last 5 road starts.

The Kansas City Royals are 4 and 17 in Brian Bannister’s last 21 starts.

You gotta feel for Brian Bannister, don’t you? The man is a terrific pitcher and has been beautiful on the mound the last two times he’s started but, man, the trends are against him in this game!

The counter to the trends, of course, is Toronto pitcher Brandon Morrow. Bannister usually has to take on the opposing team’s #1 or #2 guy.

I’m not sure where Morrow fits in Toronto’s plans, but based on his performance in that first game, he’s definitely not a #1 or #2 guy. I’ve got to believe that K.C. takes advantage of Morrow’s 2.00 WHIP early on in this game and that Bannister pitches another gem for the Royals.

K.C. is coming off of a 10 to 5 victory over Minnesota, a better team than the Blue Jays, and fought the Twins very, very tough two games ago to lose 5 to 6.

Bannister has been much better than Morrow so far in 2010 and Toronto is reeling after 3 straight losses. The trends don’t say it, but I have to do it.

Kansas City is the bet to beat the Blue Jays in tonight’s game as a slight underdog. I’m going to ride Bannister’s arm for 6 to 7 innings and then hope that he’s received the needed run support in order for K.C.’s middle relief to close the deal on Toronto tonight.

Pick: Kansas City Royals -105