Streaking Angels travel to take on Twins
Streaking Angels travel to take on Twins
While the general public continues to be distracted by steroids, the Los Angeles Angels are quietly building a lead in the AL West and starting to threaten their crosstown rivals the Dodgers for the best record in the majors. And they're getting it done without the their big bopper, Vladimir Guerrero. The Halos look to keep the wins coming this weekend in a road series against the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome.
Every time news hits that yet another major league player was using performance-enhancing drugs, I always think of the Los Angeles Angels’ Vladimir Guerrero. Not because I have any suspicion that Guerrero juiced, but because of the exact opposite sentiment.
With Thursday’s revelation that both Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz tested positive for steroids back in 2003, Guerrero’s achievements since coming into the league stick out all the more. As it stands, there’s little doubt Guerrero has been the best “clean” player of the last decade or more.
Maybe if he had dabbled with PEDs like some of his contemporaries, Guerrero wouldn’t currently find himself on the 15-day disabled list with a knee injury. That being the case, it’s not as if the Halos need him in the lineup. With Guerrero still on the shelf, the smoking-hot Angels take on the Minnesota Twins in a three-game series at the Metrodome beginning on Friday night.
Angels (+100) at Twins (-120)
Los Angeles (60-40, +19.47 units) is on a tear, with 14 moneyline victories over its last 17 games. The recent streak has catapulted the Angels to top spot on the MLB moneylist, a position held by the Dodgers for most of the season. L.A. has been getting it done at the plate, even with both Guerrero and Torii Hunter (strained oblique) on the 15-day DL.
The Angels are first in hitting (.286), second in runs per game (5.55), second in team OPS (.795), and second in stolen bases (105) on the season, and are batting a scorching .312 over their last 10 games. Los Angeles has been particularly profitable for over bettors, coming into the series as the most dependable over wager in the bigs. The Halos are 59-37-4 O/U on the year, and have played above the number in 10 straight and 12 of their last 13 outings.
Minnesota (52-50, -1.24 units) swept the Chicago White Sox in a three-game set earlier this week, and has now cashed four in a row coming off its 10-1 (+132) shellacking of the Angels on Sunday afternoon. The payday allowed the Twins to take a 4-3 lead in the season series with the Angels, who won the first three games of last weekend’s four-gamer at Angel Stadium.
Nick Blackburn (8-5, 3.82 ERA) gets the ball for Minny in Friday’s opener (8:10 PM ET), while L.A. turns to Ervin Santana (3-6, 7.29 ERA). The Twins are 7-1 against the moneyline this season when Blackburn starts at the Metrodome, as the righthander has gone 5-0 with a 2.67 ERA on the turf.
Angels backers are just happy that Santana is getting the call away from home, where he’s 0-4 with a 12.38 ERA this season. Santana is a respectable 3-2 with a 3.71 ERA on the road, and has a 3.52 ERA over his career against the Twins.
Oddsmakers opened Minnesota as -150 chalk for Game 1, with Los Angeles priced at +130. The total was set at 10 when it was released on Thursday, but some betting odds outlets were already offering 10.5 by late in the afternoon.
The Angels had yet to announce their starter for Saturday night’s Game 2 (7:10 PM ET) opposite Twins righthander Anthony Swarzak (3-3, 3.74 ERA). 1-3 with a 5.48 ERA at the Metrodome this season, Swarzak stifled Los Angeles in Minny’s win on Sunday, allowing only one run over 6 2-3 innings to pick up the victory.
Glen Perkins (6-6, 5.42 ERA) has also had success against the Angels, and he’ll toe the rubber for the Twins in Sunday’s series finale (2:10 PM ET). 2-1 with a bloated 9.69 ERA over his last three starts, Perkins is 2-0 with an impressive 0.56 ERA lifetime against Los Angeles.
The struggling Jered Weaver (10-3, 3.64 ERA) goes for the Halos on Sunday, and he’s looking to get back on track after a tough July. Weaver has given up 35 earned runs over his last 45 1-3 innings, including four runs over seven innings in the Angels’ (-143) 6-5 win over the Twins last Thursday. Like L.A. in general, Weaver has been a beast for over bettors, with the Angels 8-0 O/U in his last eight trips to the bump.
While the general public continues to be distracted by steroids, the Los Angeles Angels are quietly building a lead in the AL West and starting to threaten their crosstown rivals the Dodgers for the best record in the majors. And they're getting it done without the their big bopper, Vladimir Guerrero. The Halos look to keep the wins coming this weekend in a road series against the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome.
Every time news hits that yet another major league player was using performance-enhancing drugs, I always think of the Los Angeles Angels’ Vladimir Guerrero. Not because I have any suspicion that Guerrero juiced, but because of the exact opposite sentiment.
With Thursday’s revelation that both Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz tested positive for steroids back in 2003, Guerrero’s achievements since coming into the league stick out all the more. As it stands, there’s little doubt Guerrero has been the best “clean” player of the last decade or more.
Maybe if he had dabbled with PEDs like some of his contemporaries, Guerrero wouldn’t currently find himself on the 15-day disabled list with a knee injury. That being the case, it’s not as if the Halos need him in the lineup. With Guerrero still on the shelf, the smoking-hot Angels take on the Minnesota Twins in a three-game series at the Metrodome beginning on Friday night.
Angels (+100) at Twins (-120)
Los Angeles (60-40, +19.47 units) is on a tear, with 14 moneyline victories over its last 17 games. The recent streak has catapulted the Angels to top spot on the MLB moneylist, a position held by the Dodgers for most of the season. L.A. has been getting it done at the plate, even with both Guerrero and Torii Hunter (strained oblique) on the 15-day DL.
The Angels are first in hitting (.286), second in runs per game (5.55), second in team OPS (.795), and second in stolen bases (105) on the season, and are batting a scorching .312 over their last 10 games. Los Angeles has been particularly profitable for over bettors, coming into the series as the most dependable over wager in the bigs. The Halos are 59-37-4 O/U on the year, and have played above the number in 10 straight and 12 of their last 13 outings.
Minnesota (52-50, -1.24 units) swept the Chicago White Sox in a three-game set earlier this week, and has now cashed four in a row coming off its 10-1 (+132) shellacking of the Angels on Sunday afternoon. The payday allowed the Twins to take a 4-3 lead in the season series with the Angels, who won the first three games of last weekend’s four-gamer at Angel Stadium.
Nick Blackburn (8-5, 3.82 ERA) gets the ball for Minny in Friday’s opener (8:10 PM ET), while L.A. turns to Ervin Santana (3-6, 7.29 ERA). The Twins are 7-1 against the moneyline this season when Blackburn starts at the Metrodome, as the righthander has gone 5-0 with a 2.67 ERA on the turf.
Angels backers are just happy that Santana is getting the call away from home, where he’s 0-4 with a 12.38 ERA this season. Santana is a respectable 3-2 with a 3.71 ERA on the road, and has a 3.52 ERA over his career against the Twins.
Oddsmakers opened Minnesota as -150 chalk for Game 1, with Los Angeles priced at +130. The total was set at 10 when it was released on Thursday, but some betting odds outlets were already offering 10.5 by late in the afternoon.
The Angels had yet to announce their starter for Saturday night’s Game 2 (7:10 PM ET) opposite Twins righthander Anthony Swarzak (3-3, 3.74 ERA). 1-3 with a 5.48 ERA at the Metrodome this season, Swarzak stifled Los Angeles in Minny’s win on Sunday, allowing only one run over 6 2-3 innings to pick up the victory.
Glen Perkins (6-6, 5.42 ERA) has also had success against the Angels, and he’ll toe the rubber for the Twins in Sunday’s series finale (2:10 PM ET). 2-1 with a bloated 9.69 ERA over his last three starts, Perkins is 2-0 with an impressive 0.56 ERA lifetime against Los Angeles.
The struggling Jered Weaver (10-3, 3.64 ERA) goes for the Halos on Sunday, and he’s looking to get back on track after a tough July. Weaver has given up 35 earned runs over his last 45 1-3 innings, including four runs over seven innings in the Angels’ (-143) 6-5 win over the Twins last Thursday. Like L.A. in general, Weaver has been a beast for over bettors, with the Angels 8-0 O/U in his last eight trips to the bump.