MLB: Baseball System Favors Toronto
MLB: Baseball System Favors Toronto
Shhhh…..don’t say a word. Quieter than the inside of the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class2008-07-29
Shhhh…..don’t say a word. Quieter than the inside of the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the Toronto Blue Jays have moved two games over .500, to 54-52. They’ll try to pick up another valuable game in the standings Tuesday night vs. the Rays. At last check, 74% of early bettors at Sportsbook.com like the Blue Jays’ chances.
Toronto is still in fourth place in the AL East, but has crept within 7.5 games of first place Tampa Bay and within six games in the loss column of really getting into the thick of the wild card race. With last night’s 3-1 win over the Rays, the Blue Jays have won seven of nine games to tighten the pack in the ever more interesting Eastern Divisional race.
It’s not like Toronto was ever horrible to start, as they are +36 in run differential, which is one behind Tampa Bay and three behind the Angels, who holds the best record in baseball. Pitching has not been a problem for the Jays, it has been a lack if offense. They rank 12th in total bases, 11th in runs scored and lack power, presently next to last in home runs with 75 in the American League. The offense has perked up lately, averaging 5.6 runs per game, which will be needed if Cito Gaston’s second tour of duty as manager is to known as being eventful.
Toronto is 15-4 in July home games the last two years and will have their ace Roy Halladay (12-7, 2.82, 1.036 WHIP) taking the ball in game two. Two of Halladay worst outings of the season have come against Tampa Bay, as he has failed to beat them, allowing five runs in each ballgame. This is one of baseball’s crazy quirks, seeing the Rays are only batting .260 as a team. Halladay and the Blue Jays are domineering playing on artificial turf, with 37-11 record and the oddsmakers at Sportsbook.com are showing preference, with Toronto a -160 favorite with total of Un7.5.
This information plays right into well-heeled system that delivers more profits over time than any stock tip one could gamble on.
PLAY ON all favorites with a money line of -150 or more, facing below average hitting team like Tampa Bay (BA .265 or less), against a good starting pitcher like Roy Halladay (ERA 4.20 or less) in the AL, in the second half of the season.
The expression “the cream rising to the top” certainly is important in this super situation. As the season wears along, the best pitchers normally put together winning streaks, which ultimately lead to very good records at the end of the year. Halladay, with one Cy Young award and five All-Star appearances meets this criteria. Since 1997, this galvanic system is 70-16, 81.4 percent.
The Rays continue to have issues relating to the past. They are 13-34 against the money line in road games after two or more consecutive losses over the last two seasons. Having scored just two total runs in consecutive defeats, manager Joe Maddon’s all to familiar scene continues with his club 3-17 in road games after scoring three runs or less two straight games since the beginning of 2007 campaign.
The Rays Matt Garza (8-6, 3.83, 1.252) has numbers like a lot of younger pitchers, very good at home and less then desirable on the road. Garza has 6.04 road ERA and he and teammates have won twice in his nine starts in visiting uniforms.
In the last few years, this system hasn’t come up a great deal, as the steroid-era has been winding down, still has been sensational at 10-1, with average margin of victory 2.4 runs.
This AL East encounter starts at 7:07 Eastern north of the border.