Rangers Look For Series Split in Toronto
Texas stopped a five-game losing streak on Wednesday and can earn a split in the four-game set at Toronto tonight as small baseball odds favorites versus the Blue Jays.
The Texas Rangers snapped a five-game losing skid Wednesday night with an 8-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. The Rangers were small road 'dogs, and will now play for a series split in Toronto to conclude a 10-game road trip that has so far seen twice as many losses (6) as wins (3).
Texas is no doubt looking forward to getting back home where the team is 43-26. The Rangers aren't in danger of losing the lead in the NL West where they have a seven-game cushion with 23 to play. Still, snagging a win to end this roadie would be a nice way to wrap things up and provide a lift going into a big series this weekend with the Yankees coming to town.
MLB oddsmakers opened the bidding for Thursday's contest with the Rangers slight favorites. BetJamaica set Texas minus 110 with the Jays even. TheGreek.com opened with Ron Washington's club stronger 125 chalk. The same shop set the total at nine, 'over' at minus 125, while BetJam and Bookmaker.com were a half-run higher and charging 120 on the 'under.'
Toronto opened the series with 7-2 and 8-5 wins in the first two games, each time as the favorites (-140, -170). Both games went over to continue a five-game stretch above the number before Wednesday's 'under' in the Rangers win. Toronto is 71-60-8 on the season to the high side of the scoreboard.
Shawn Hill, who last appeared on a Major League Baseball mound for the Nationals in April 2009, will make his 2010 season debut against the Rangers. He's coming off his second Tommy John surgery at 29 years young, and has been skipping through the minors on rehab assignments since June.
Hill posted a 1.11 ERA overall in 56 rehab innings, with an impressive 39:8 K-BB ratio and 1.11 ERA in 56 innings. A lot of those impressive numbers were posted in rookie league action, and punch outs came far less frequently in his 21 Triple-A innings with Las Vegas (9 K, 5 BB).
That Colby Lewis (11-16, 3.96) is only a moderate favorite in this game is testimony to the Rangers' recent woes in general, and Lewis' specifically. The right-hander is coming off two bad outings, the most recent last Saturday in Minnesota as a pick 'em, and has been taken to the woodshed more on the road (5-10, 4.47) than at home (6-6, 3.43).
Lewis lost here on May 16 with very similar odds. The Bakersfield native worked into the sixth inning and gave up all five Toronto runs in a 5-2 Blue Jays win. Texas closed minus 120 in that contest.
The forecast calls for cloudy skies and temps never getting above the mid-60s in Toronto on Thursday, so I'm guessing the Rogers Centre rook shall remain shut. Tom Hallion should complete one umpire rotation in this series, and he's not really any help to MLB bettors looking for strong total trends when he works a game. The 'under' is 15-12-2 on the season. He does have one glaring stat this season, however, with baseball money line favorites 21-8 when he calls balls and strikes.
C.J. Wilson (21-7, 3.10) will open the series Friday for the Rangers when they get back home to take on New York. Javier Vazquez (13-11, 5.01) is listed for the Yanks. The Blue Jays remain at home for a weekender versus Tampa Bay. Brett Cecil (15-10, 3.76) is slated to oppose Rays righty James Shields (14-14, 4.92) in the Friday opener.
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start.
Texas stopped a five-game losing streak on Wednesday and can earn a split in the four-game set at Toronto tonight as small baseball odds favorites versus the Blue Jays.
The Texas Rangers snapped a five-game losing skid Wednesday night with an 8-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. The Rangers were small road 'dogs, and will now play for a series split in Toronto to conclude a 10-game road trip that has so far seen twice as many losses (6) as wins (3).
Texas is no doubt looking forward to getting back home where the team is 43-26. The Rangers aren't in danger of losing the lead in the NL West where they have a seven-game cushion with 23 to play. Still, snagging a win to end this roadie would be a nice way to wrap things up and provide a lift going into a big series this weekend with the Yankees coming to town.
MLB oddsmakers opened the bidding for Thursday's contest with the Rangers slight favorites. BetJamaica set Texas minus 110 with the Jays even. TheGreek.com opened with Ron Washington's club stronger 125 chalk. The same shop set the total at nine, 'over' at minus 125, while BetJam and Bookmaker.com were a half-run higher and charging 120 on the 'under.'
Toronto opened the series with 7-2 and 8-5 wins in the first two games, each time as the favorites (-140, -170). Both games went over to continue a five-game stretch above the number before Wednesday's 'under' in the Rangers win. Toronto is 71-60-8 on the season to the high side of the scoreboard.
Shawn Hill, who last appeared on a Major League Baseball mound for the Nationals in April 2009, will make his 2010 season debut against the Rangers. He's coming off his second Tommy John surgery at 29 years young, and has been skipping through the minors on rehab assignments since June.
Hill posted a 1.11 ERA overall in 56 rehab innings, with an impressive 39:8 K-BB ratio and 1.11 ERA in 56 innings. A lot of those impressive numbers were posted in rookie league action, and punch outs came far less frequently in his 21 Triple-A innings with Las Vegas (9 K, 5 BB).
That Colby Lewis (11-16, 3.96) is only a moderate favorite in this game is testimony to the Rangers' recent woes in general, and Lewis' specifically. The right-hander is coming off two bad outings, the most recent last Saturday in Minnesota as a pick 'em, and has been taken to the woodshed more on the road (5-10, 4.47) than at home (6-6, 3.43).
Lewis lost here on May 16 with very similar odds. The Bakersfield native worked into the sixth inning and gave up all five Toronto runs in a 5-2 Blue Jays win. Texas closed minus 120 in that contest.
The forecast calls for cloudy skies and temps never getting above the mid-60s in Toronto on Thursday, so I'm guessing the Rogers Centre rook shall remain shut. Tom Hallion should complete one umpire rotation in this series, and he's not really any help to MLB bettors looking for strong total trends when he works a game. The 'under' is 15-12-2 on the season. He does have one glaring stat this season, however, with baseball money line favorites 21-8 when he calls balls and strikes.
C.J. Wilson (21-7, 3.10) will open the series Friday for the Rangers when they get back home to take on New York. Javier Vazquez (13-11, 5.01) is listed for the Yanks. The Blue Jays remain at home for a weekender versus Tampa Bay. Brett Cecil (15-10, 3.76) is slated to oppose Rays righty James Shields (14-14, 4.92) in the Friday opener.
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start.
