Yankees at Devil Rays

[SBRforum Staff]

Take Tampa vs New York

Game Time: 4/23/2007 7:10:00 PM -
by: Marc Lawrence

http://www.playbook.com

Swept in Boston over the weekend, the Yankees' road woes will continue tonight when New York heads south to take on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Yankees rookie Kei Igawa takes to the road off his first MLB win in his last start.

Igawa worked six innings allowing two runs and striking out five against just one walk in his last outing versus Cleveland. However, in his previous two starts covering just over 10 innings, the left-hander allowed 10 runs, nine earned, 10 hits and five walks. Opposing Igawa and the Yankees tonight is Tampa southpaw Casey Fossum who has given up five earned runs in his last two starts covering 14 innings.

With New York in off a big weekend series with Boston, look for the Devil Rays to bring Igawa back down to earth here tonight.

Play: Devil Rays +147

[SBRforum Staff]

Dog the Devil Rays vs Yanks

Game Time: 4/23/2007 7:10:00 PM -
By: Matt Fargo

http://www.procappers.com

This is a great spot and price to back Tampa at home. Dog the Devil Rays tonight at The Trop in the series opener versus the New York Yankees.

New York heads into this game coming off the big series against Boston and like every other sport, there are letdowns in baseball as well. It has showed in the past that the Yankees are below average when coming off a series against the Red Sox. The Yankees have gone 4-5 in the nine games following a series against the Red Sox over the last two seasons and dropped over four units in those games.

Tampa Bay is coming off a series loss but the offense remains potent and that is important in this first game. The Devil Rays send Casey Fossum to the mound as the lefty is coming off two straight quality starts after getting hammered against the Blue Jays in his first start this season. Facing the Yankees has not been a problem for Fossum as he has posted a 3.16 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in five starts against New York since coming to Tampa Bay in 2005. Being a non-favorite is great as he is 12-5 against the money line as a home underdog of +100 or higher over the last three seasons, picking up over 11 units in the process.

New York counters with Kei Igawa who has also tossed back-to-back quality starts after getting shelled in his opening outing. He has a 6.06 ERA on the season and has been fortunate to not have a loss yet as he has been given some great run support. His problem thus far has been keeping the ball up as he has a horrendous .56 ground ball/fly ball ratio and that will hurt him against the Devil Rays.

Tampa Bay has a .449 slugging percentage which is best in the American League while their 22 home runs are second in all of baseball. Play against road favorites with a money line of -125 to -175, with a very good bullpen whose ERA is 3.33 or better on the season, starting a pitcher who gave up two earned runs or less in his last two outings. This situation is 63-40 against the moneyline (61.2 percent) over the last five seasons. Being an underdog situation, it is that much stronger being over 61 percent as it has picked up over 46 units in those 103 games.

This is a great spot for the Devil Rays to grab the first game of this series. Play Tampa Bay for one unit.

Play: Devil Rays +147

[buztah]

Wow! I don't see that at all. I think the Yankees will pound the D-rays after embarrassing themselves in Bean town. Don't see D-rays cooling off the Yankee bats.

[bigboydan]

I like the D'rays as well in this game Mr.Fargo and Mr.Lawrence.