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Don’t look now but the team favored to win the 2012 World Series, the New York Yankees, come into today’s game against the Orioles at 0-3 as do the Boston Red Sox. This is Carrie Stroup for Gambling911.com and I have two big games for April 9 baseball betting. Be sure to open an online betting account here today at Sportsbook.com and receive up to $250 in FREE CASH.
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: New York -153 & 9.5 under -115
Despite an 0-3 record, the Yankees are heavily favored to win on the road against the undefeated Orioles on Monday night.
Although the pitching matchup isn’t too lopsided for the Yankees, Ivan Nova (16 wins in 2011) is certainly a more reliable play than Baltimore lefty Brian Matusz who posted a 10.69 ERA in 2011. New York loves playing at Camden Yards, going 89-49 (.645) all-time in the ballpark, including an 18-6 mark over the past three seasons. And although the Bombers were shut out in Sunday’s series finale in Tampa Bay, the Orioles don’t have any pitchers that can come close to matching the talent of the Rays threesome of James Shields, David Price and Jeremy Hellickson that the Yanks had to face to start the season.
Nova (16-4, 3.70 ERA in 2011) has pitched pretty well against the Orioles in his young career, going 2-0 with a 3.55 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 21 K in 25.1 IP against them. He’s 1-0 with a 4.38 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in two starts at Camden Yards. Current players on Baltimore’s roster are slugging a paltry .365 in 85 at-bats against Nova, hitting just one home run. Nova is coming off a terrible preseason though. He almost lost his spot in the rotation after tallying an 8.06 ERA in 22.1 Spring Training innings.
Once upon a time, Matusz (1-9, 10.69 ERA in 2011) enjoyed facing the Yankees, posting a 2.56 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in his first five career starts against them. But last year was a different story as New York pounded the young southpaw with four homers in just 30 at-bats, saddling Matusz with a 14.85 ERA and 2.25 WHIP in those two starts. The trio of Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira has combined to hit .415 (22-for-53) with 10 extra-base hits and 22 runs in their careers against Matusz. But two New York outfielders have dreaded facing the southpaw, as left-handed-hitting Brett Gardner is 0-for-10 with 4 K and switch-hitting Nick Swisher is 1-for-16 against him.
BOSTON RED SOX (0-3) at TORONTO BLUE JAYS (2-1)
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: Toronto -116 & 9.5 over -115
The Red Sox are still searching for their first win of the season when they head north to Toronto to begin a three-game series on Monday night.
After scoring just two total runs in its first two losses in Detroit, Boston busted out with a 12-spot in Sunday’s wild 13-12, extra-inning defeat. That doesn’t bode well for Blue Jays 21-year-old right-hander Henderson Alvarez, who has pinpoint control, but doesn’t have the stuff to overpower the stacked Red Sox lineup. Boston lefty Felix Doubront will make just his fourth career start, but he has a live fastball in the mid-90’s and is coming off a fantastic spring where he posted a 2.70 ERA. The Red Sox were 15-10 in the underdog role last season, and the offense exploded at Rogers Centre in 2011 with 8.0 runs per game thanks to a .328 BA, .397 OBP and .569 SLG.
Doubront (0-0, 6.10 ERA in 2011) has struggled with his control in the big leagues, walking 18 batters in his 35.1 MLB innings. He’s never started versus the Blue Jays, but he has thrown 5.1 innings of relief against them, allowing five hits, two runs, two walks and tallying four strikeouts. Several Boston hitters destroyed Toronto pitching during the 2011 campaign. OF Jacoby Ellsbury batted .420 with a 1.225 OPS, 5 HR, 17 RBI and 22 runs in 18 meetings. 1B Adrian Gonzalez hit .385 and slugged .815, thanks to 16 extra-base hits (10 doubles, 6 homers) in 16 games. DH David Ortiz (1.155 OPS) and 2B Dustin Pedroia (.348 OBP) both had 5 HR and 13 RBI, and Kevin Youkilis smacked four homers with 14 RBI and a 1.044 OPS in 16 meetings with the Blue Jays.
Alvarez started 10 games last season, going 1-3 with a 3.53 ERA. His K-to-BB ratio was a sparkling 5.0, as he struck out 40 batters and walked only eight in his 63.2 innings of work. He pitched much better on the road than at home though. In six starts at Rogers Centre, the Blue Jays went 4-2, but Alvarez posted a 4.30 ERA and allowed a .281 BA with six homers in those 37.2 innings. Although the Jays scored 17 runs in winning 2-of-3 games in Cleveland to start the season, they batted a dismal .199 with a .268 OBP. Their runs were the result of great clutch hitting, batting .310 with a .371 OBP and .517 SLG with runners in scoring position. Toronto’s hitters also struggled versus Boston last season, posting a .220 BA, .308 OBP and .354 SLG. Home-run champ 3B Jose Bautista smacked four homers in his 18 meetings with Boston, but batted just .234 with 14 strikeouts. 1B Adam Lind was even worse at .196 BA, 14 whiffs and no homers in 46 at-bats against Red Sox pitching.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
