American League Divisional Playoffs
The American League Divisional playoffs are set with both games scheduled for Thursday. The Detroit Tigers will take on the Baltimore Orioles in the early game with the Kansas City Royals heading West to take on the Los Angeles Angels in the late game.
DETROIT TIGERS AT BALTIMORE ORIOLES:
Now let me get this straight…the Baltimore Orioles win 96 games, run away with the AL East and they’re home underdogs in Game One of this series? The only reason that is the case is due to the ‘brand name’ of Tigers’ starter Max Scherzer. His numbers this year were good but not great (3.19 ERA overall, 3.56 road ERA) and hard to give him a huge qualitative edge over the O’s Chris Tillman who posted a 3.26 overall ERA with a tidy 2.54 ERA at Camden Yards where Baltimore won 13 of his 18 starts. The Tigers did win 5 of 6 head to head this season including all three in ‘Charm City’ but that’s really the only discernible edge they’ve got in this matchup. O’s made a ton of money at home (+14.3 units) and even more against right handed pitching (+32.4 units). O’s not getting the respect they deserve in this game or this series and we’ll take ’em to win both.
BET BALTIMORE ORIOLES +110 OVER DETROIT TIGERS (Game 1)
BET BALTIMORE ORIOLES +125 OVER DETROIT TIGERS (Series)
KANSAS CITY ROYALS AT LOS ANGELES ANGELS:
No line on this game yet but the pitching matchup is set. Left hander Jason Vargas will get the assignment for the Royals with Jered Weaver opposing him for the Angels. Vargas didn’t look good at all in his last three starts with a 9.95 ERA in just 12.7 units of work. That’s not going to get it done against a balanced Angels’ offense that has no trouble handling southpaws. Nothing but respect for the Royals but they may be in over their heads here playing the team with the best record in baseball. At any rate, they’ll have a tough time bouncing back after the AL Wildcard Game roller coaster. Halos take Game 1. Angels should win the series but no value taking them -200.
BET LOS ANGELES ANGELS OVER KANSAS CITY ROYALS
