Wednesday MLB Baseball Picks: Rays vs Blue Jays
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MLB Betting – Rays vs Blue Jays Preview & Pick
Date: Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Venue: Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Broadcast: SUN, RSN
Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays Betting Lines from BetOnline.com
Money Line: Toronto -110
Over/Under: 8 (-110)
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Tampa Bay Rays (24-17 through May 16)
Jeremy Hellickson (4-2, 2.98)
If you were in a coma and missed the first two weeks of April, you’d never know that the Tampa Bay Rays started 2011 0-6. They’ve gone 24-11 since then and are now right around where most bettors expected: atop the American League East.
Tampa’s young pitching staff has been solid, as expected; David Price looks like a Cy Young candidate again and James Shields is enjoying a massive resurgence. Youngster Jeremy Hellickson, Baseball America’s No. 3 prospect entering the season, has performed as advertised as well, throwing 14 scoreless innings over his last two starts. But has he been a bit lucky? He’s walked five batters in two different outings this season – and won both times.
Toronto Blue Jays (21-20 through May 16)
Ricky Romero (3-4, 3.35)
Say hello to baseball’s hottest team. Through Monday night’s action, the Toronto Blue Jays had vaulted themselves back into the AL East race by winning six consecutive games.
It isn’t difficult to see why the Jays are hot. Mr. Jose Bautista has decided he’s Mr. Barry Bonds 2.0. A year after exploding for his improbable 54-homer season, Bautista has actually improved. He’s hitting .370, no pace for roughly 80 homers and lapping the competition in nearly every major statistical category this season.
Ricky Romero could sure use some of that Bautista love. Since the Jays gave him 13 runs of support on April 1, he’s had 1, 2, 1, 0, 5, 0 and 2 runs of support over his next seven starts.
MLB Trends:
Under is 7-2 in TB last 9 Wed. games.
TB are 19-7 in their last 26 road games.
Under is 20-8 in TB last 28 on astroturf.
The pick:
The Rays have re-established themselves as a formidable opponent for any team. Romero certainly has to worry about the Rays’ top hitters; Ben Zobrist bats .467 with six RBI in 15 at-bats against him. But I can’t bet against the Jays right now. Toronto is (a) piping hot; (b) at home; (c) sending its top starter to the hill; (d) riding the game’s best hitter at the moment.
Hellickson walks too many batters to be this good this often. He’s due for a speed bump.
Rays vs Blue Jays prediction: Blue Jays 5, Rays 2
